A former award-winning Montreal basketball coach has been sentenced to three years in prison for molesting a number of his players.

Gabriel Meus-Leclerc, 36, used to coach the basketball team at College Regina Assumpta, a prestigious private French school for girls in Ahuntsic.

He pleaded guilty to molesting five of his young players between 1993 and 2005.

The victims were aged between 14 and 17.

The college contacted police when one of the teenagers came forward in 2005.