Appeal filed on Graham James' sex-charge sentence

WINNIPEG, Manitoba – Provincial authorities have filed an appeal of the sentence given to former hockey coach Graham James on sex-abuse charges.

James was sentenced last month in Winnipeg to two years in prison for sexually assaulting two of his teenage players, Theo Fleury and cousin Todd Holt.

In the appeal, Manitoba's Justice Department says the judge made a mistake in sentencing and overemphasized the significance of prior sentences for similar offenses. The Crown had asked the trial judge to impose a six-year sentence.

When James was sentenced last month there was widespread outrage from his victims and the public.