A 31-year-old who taught at MacGregor Senior Public School and coached for the Kitchener-Waterloo Youth Basketball Association has been charged with sexual assault and sexual interference in connection with an incident that occurred last Friday, Jan. 24.

“The male was a teacher with the Waterloo Region District School Board and also served as a basketball coach with the Kitchener-Waterloo Youth Basketball Association,” states a press release issued by police.

Liam Phipps is scheduled to appear in court on March 11.

In an email, the school board's communications officer Lynsey Slupeiks said Phipps is still an employee of the school board.

"When we were made aware of the investigation, they were assigned to home. We continue to work with Waterloo Regional Police Services as they continue their investigation. As this is an active police investigation, we will not be commenting further."

Mike Quigley, executive administrator for the Kitchener-Waterloo Youth Basketball Association, said Phipps, a Kitchener resident, was suspended earlier this year before being reinstated as a coach.

Initially an investigation by Family and Children’s Services took place at the end of October and their investigation came up with nothing, Quigley said.

“They felt there were no facts to the charges, so initially he was suspended in November and was reinstated middle of December,” he said.

Phipps was suspended again when the league got another call from Family and Children’s Services last week, informing them that there was another investigation being undertaken and that Phipps was going to be arrested.

Quigley is unsure if charges are related to his time as a coach or teacher or otherwise.