Case against Peter Nygard is based off 'revisionist history,' defence argues in Toronto sex assault trial
CTV
Two different portraits of disgraced mogul Peter Nygard were painted during closing arguments of his ongoing Toronto sex assault trial Tuesday — one, by his defence lawyers, of a dedicated businessman committed to his company, and another, by prosecutors, of a man who used his power and wealth to allegedly force women into nonconsensual sexual encounters, berating them if they opposed.
Two different portraits of disgraced mogul Peter Nygard were painted during closing arguments of his ongoing Toronto sex assault trial Tuesday — one, by his defence lawyers, of a dedicated businessman committed to his company, and another, by prosecutors, of a man who used his power and wealth to allegedly force women into nonconsensual sexual encounters, berating them if they opposed.
Nygard, now 82, was wheeled into a downtown courtroom Tuesday wearing a black suit, his long grey hair tied back into a low bun, and a pair of black-rimmed glasses for the final days of proceedings. He’s 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.
Last month, five women, whose identities are protected by a court-ordered publication ban, told the court that the businessman sexually assaulted them in the top-floor suite of his Toronto headquarters.
Much of the case against disgraced fashion mogul Peter Nygard has been built upon "revisionist history," his defence lawyer argued, opening the closing arguments Tuesday morning.
“To describe Peter Nygard as an evil predator, a Jekyll and Hyde type of personality, who through wealth and power, lured women and forced them to comply with his sexual demands is neither fair nor accurate,” Brian Greenspan said.
“His life was neither hidden nor secreted, nor were his workspaces, nor were his homes, nor were his private quarters – his passion for his work was open and transparent, his lifestyle was open and transparent.”
In his closing submission to the 12-person jury, Greenspan worked to paint a starkly different portrait than what five women testified to weeks earlier, instead describing a well-respected businessman who cared deeply for his employees and company. Last month, the women, whose identities are protected by a court-ordered publication ban, told the court that the businessman sexually assaulted them in the top-floor suite of his Toronto headquarters.
