A Penticton city councillor accused of multiple historical sex crimes against youth took the stand for the second time in Ontario Superior Court.

James Miller is accused of six counts of sexual interference and one count of invitation to sexual touching. The alleged incidents occurred between 1989 and 1990 while Miller was a volunteer basketball coach in Sarnia, Ont.

While on the stand Monday, Miller detailed the most recent interactions he had with the second complainant.

The newspaper editor told the court that in the summer of 2023 he began to receive threatening messages to his councillor email address from a man who used a fake name. He said the emails kept coming and were also sent to Penticton’s mayor and the rest of council.

“These emails to me got more and more vile, and he was quite surprised because his goal was to get me exiled from city council,” he said.

Miller testified that one of the emails he received included threats to him, his wife and dog.

“I draw the line at that because I don’t want anyone to hurt my wife or my dog so I called the RCMP and basically they told me [tough] it out,” he said.

Miller told the court about a Reddit thread that featured information about previous sex charges involving former players in 2005 for which Miller was acquitted. He said the thread negatively affected his position on city council.

“The other media outlets in Penticton took great pleasure in the best known person from the [Penticton] Herald and [Kelowna Daily] Courier, so they reported on it. So I thought as an editor [it] was a non-story because I was acquitted,” he said.

Miller has been on a leave of absence as a city councillor since 2024.

Earlier in the trial, the second complainant testified about an incident at Miller’s mother’s house where Miller allegedly thrust himself on the complainant during a sleepover.

Miller denied the incident and said a sleepover at his mother’s house never took place.

“My mother would have never allowed it,” Miller said.

Miller told the court that he coached around 900 kids over 17 years of coaching. That came to an end in 2005 after his first arrest.

Last week, the first complainant took the stand. He testified that he met Miller in Grade 5 and that Miller convinced his mother to have more one-on-one time with him in order to improve his basketball skills, and so that he could have another male role model in his life.

Court heard that Miller would take the complainant to Detroit Pistons and Toronto Blue Jays games, and Miller would often put his hand on the complainant’s thigh while driving alone.

During cross-examination Miller denied that claim.

The first complainant also testified about a kissing incident while on a trip to see the Toronto Blue Jays. During cross-examination, Miller testified that the boy kissed him in the presence of his mother and stepfather before he went to bed.

“I was kind of shocked because I never kissed my own father on the mouth so I thought, just brush it off, I guess he is just an affectionate kid.”

Miller also disagreed with the first complainant’s testimony that they stayed the night at the house of Miller’s friend, and that the kissing incident took place there.

“It was a day trip. We did not stay the night. It was not a weekend trip,” Miller said.

Crown lawyer Suzanne LaSha suggested that Miller conditioned the kids to get comfortable with him, and that Miller progressed his physical involvement with the boys over time.

Closing arguments are set to begin Thursday.

Earlier this month, Miller’s first trial for similar offences wrapped up. A judge is expected to make a ruling in that trial early next month.