International Courant
The 82-year-old founding father of considered one of Canada’s largest clothes manufacturers has been convicted on fees associated to incidents between 1988 and 2005.
Former Canadian trend mogul Peter Nygard has been discovered responsible of 4 counts of sexual assault, a Toronto courtroom has stated.
Nygard, 82, was on trial in Ontario Superior Courtroom on 5 counts of sexual assault and one rely of forcible confinement, fees associated to incidents between 1988 and 2005. The fees concerned 4 ladies and a 16-year-old lady.
The jury delivered its verdict on Sunday, the fifth day of deliberations after a six-week trial. Nygard was acquitted of sexually assaulting one of many ladies who testified on the trial.
The trial was the primary of a collection of fees he faces for intercourse crimes in opposition to a number of ladies over a long time in Canada and the US.
“I do know it has been an extended and troublesome case for you,” Choose Robert Goldstein informed the jury.
Nygard’s lawyer Brian Greenspan didn’t rule out the potential for interesting the decision. Throughout closing arguments, Greenspan stated the case was constructed on “contradictions and innuendo” as he reviewed the prosecution’s portrayal of his shopper.
“To explain Peter Nygard as an evil predator, a Jekyll and Hyde persona who, via wealth and energy, lured ladies into his den of iniquity and compelled ladies to conform along with his sexual calls for… is neither truthful nor correct,” he stated.
An indication for Peter Nygard exterior his Instances Sq. headquarters (File: John Minchillo/AP)
In distinction, prosecutor Ana Serban stated Nygard was evasive and inconsistent on the witness stand, and that his reminiscence was unreliable and selective.
Serban pointed to “remarkably related tales” from his 5 accusers, independently of one another, about how they met Nygard, have been invited to his workplace constructing and “how he sexually assaulted them in his non-public bed room.”
“The similarities defy coincidence,” she stated. “It is a sample of habits.”
Testifying in his personal protection, Nygard didn’t recall assembly or figuring out 4 of his accusers, and insisted he by no means raped any of the 5.
“The type of allegations that have been made and described are the type of habits that I do know I’ve by no means executed and that I’d by no means do,” he informed the courtroom, at the same time as he admitted that his reminiscence had change into “very unhealthy” over time. blurry” had change into. .
He’ll return to courtroom for sentencing on November 21.
Nygard, who based the agency that will change into Nygard Worldwide in 1967, has been in custody since his arrest in 2020.
He now faces related fees in Quebec and Manitoba. in addition to extradition to the US, the place he faces fees of sexual abuse of dozens of girls and women, extortion and human trafficking.
Born in Finland, Nygard grew up in Manitoba, ultimately working his eponymous clothes firms and turning into considered one of Canada’s richest folks.
Canadian trend mogul Peter Nygard responsible of 4 fees of sexual assault | Information about sexual violence
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