The former headquarters of Nygard’s now-defunct clothing company at 1 Niagara St., in Toronto, is pictured on Sept. 28, 2023. (Evan Mitsui/CBC)
He contradicted some of the complainants’ testimony, arguing for example, that there was a handle on that inside door of his private bedroom and denying that there was any way to get locked or trapped inside.
In her closing submission, Crown Attorney Ana Serban argued that Nygard’s testimony was riddled with inconsistencies, was unreliable, lacked credibility and should be rejected.
That was in contrast, she said, to the testimony from the five complainants. The similarities of their independent testimony defied coincidence, she said, and proved Nygard’s guilt.
But Nygard’s lawyer argued that it was the five complainants’ testimony that lacked credibility.
Greenspan told the jury that they needed to carefully consider all the evidence presented by the Crown and reflect on the “fatal flaws and lack of testimonial trustworthiness” of the five women.
Greenspan suggested that despite Nygard’s inability to recollect the women, some of the details they testified to in court could have happened. For example he said some of their evidence about how they initially met Nygard on flights could be possible.
But other details court heard were either unlikely, impossible, absurd or pure nonsense, Greenspan said.
“What never occurred were the sexual assaults described by each of the complainants,” he said.
Nygard facing other charges, civil lawsuit
Greenspan also suggested that some of the women had been motivated to testify against Nygard because they had joined a U.S. class-action lawsuit against him.
That lawsuit, which is currently on hold after a New York judge placed a stay of proceedings on it, involves 57 women. Their allegations date back as far as 1977, with some of them alleging they were assaulted when they were as young as 14 or 15.
Nygard also faces one count of sexual assault and one count of forcible confinement in Manitoba, for offences that were allegedly committed in November 1993 and involve a victim who was then 20 years old.
He also faces one count of sexual assault and one count of forcible confinement in connection with incidents that allegedly took place in Quebec between Nov. 1, 1997, and Nov. 15, 1998, and involve one alleged victim.
Meanwhile, Nygard is also fighting extradition to the U.S. where he faces charges in New York for nine offences which include conspiracy to commit racketeering, transportation of a minor for purpose of prostitution, and sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion.