Canadian former fashion tycoon, Peter Nygard, has found himself in prison net following a significant legal verdict in Toronto. The court delivered a ruling finding him guilty on four counts of sexual assault, while also acquitting him of one assault charge and one count of forcible confinement.
These charges stemmed from incidents dating back to 1988 involving four women and a 16-year-old girl. Nygard, 82, now faces a series of legal battles related to sex crime allegations in both Canada and the United States, spanning several decades.
The trial, spanning seven weeks, marked the beginning of a string of legal cases against Nygard for alleged sexual offenses. The jury deliberated for five days before reaching the verdict. Justice Robert Goldstein acknowledged the lengthy and challenging nature of the case for the jury.
Nygard’s lawyer, Brian Greenspan, hinted at the possibility of appealing the verdict upon leaving the courthouse. During the trial, Greenspan strongly contested the prosecution’s portrayal of Nygard, labeling it as based on “contradictions and innuendo.”
He criticized the depiction of his client as an “evil predator” and questioned the credibility of the accusers, suggesting financial motivations and asserting that their testimonies were inconsistent and, at times, “painfully absurd.”
On the other hand, prosecutor Ana Serban highlighted the consistency in the accounts of the accusers, emphasizing the similarity in their narratives, claiming it indicated a clear pattern of behavior on Nygard’s part. Serban also criticized Nygard’s demeanor on the stand, describing him as evasive and inconsistent and questioning the reliability of his memory.
Nygard, taking the stand in his defense, denied any recollection of meeting or knowing four of the accusers. He staunchly denied the allegations, attributing any memory lapses to his age, while maintaining that the described conduct did not align with his character.
Following the verdict, Nygard remains in detention and faces additional charges in Quebec and Manitoba. Moreover, there are extradition proceedings to the United States where he faces accusations of assaulting numerous women and girls, in addition to charges of racketeering and trafficking.
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