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Ontario’s top court is expected to release its decision today in the case of former fashion mogul Peter Nygard, who is contesting his sexual assault convictions and prison sentence.
Nygard, 84, was convicted of four counts of sexual assault in 2023 and sentenced to 11 years in prison, amounting to nearly seven years behind bars after factoring in the time he spent in custody before and during trial.
The charges stemmed from allegations dating from the 1980s until the mid-2000s, as multiple women — one of whom was 16 years old at the time of the offence — accused Nygard of sexually assaulting them at his company’s headquarters in Toronto.
Nygard’s appeal argued his sentence was excessive and the trial judge made several errors in law, including the admission of expert testimony on the effects of trauma.
In its written submissions, the Crown argued that admitting the testimony of clinical psychologist Lori Haskell was a “harmless error” that did not mislead the jury or cause a miscarriage of justice.
Nygard is asking the Appeal Court to quash his conviction or set it aside and order a new trial. He is also seeking to have his sentence reduced.
The founder of a now-defunct women’s clothing company, Nygard stepped down as chairman after U.S. authorities raided his New York offices six years ago.
The criminal charges he faced in Manitoba were stayed last fall after a judge found records of police interviews with the complainant in 1993 were destroyed without justifiable reasons. The judge concluded that represented a violation of Nygard’s right to a fair trial.
Prosecutors in Manitoba initially opted not to lay charges in 2020, but the province later sent the investigation to Saskatchewan Justice for an independent review, resulting in Nygard’s arrest.
Nygard’s legal team filed a defamation lawsuit last month targeting both provincial governments, as well as Winnipeg police and others. Those claims have not been tested in court.
Nygard faces a trial on sex charges in Quebec as well as extradition to the United States on sex trafficking and racketeering charges. He has denied all allegations against him.
