TORONTO — Jurors in the sexual assault trial of former fashion mogul Peter Nygard have begun deliberating their verdict in the case.
Justice Robert Goldstein gave the jury his final instructions today, saying they are "the judges of the facts" and that their duty is to impartially assess the evidence in the case using legal principles he outlined.
The jury heard closing arguments from the defence and the Crown yesterday after six weeks of testimony and evidence presented in court.
Nygard, an 82-year-old former fashion mogul, has pleaded not guilty to five counts of sexual assault and one count of forcible confinement in alleged incidents ranging from the 1980s to mid-2000s.
Multiple complainants in the trial have alleged they were taken to Nygard's Toronto headquarters under pretences ranging from tours to job interviews, with encounters ending in a top-floor bedroom suite where they allege they were sexually assaulted.
Nygard denied those allegations as he testified in his own defence and said he has never done the things the five complainants have accused him of.
During cross-examination, the Crown attorney challenged statements Nygard previously made to police and in court, suggesting inconsistencies and contradictions in his remarks.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2023.
Sonja Puzic, The Canadian Press
