Complainant in Nygard trial says door in bedroom suite would not open for her

TORONTO — A woman who has accused Peter Nygard of sexual assault says she told the former fashion mogul she was "really uncomfortable" that a keypad-operated door to a bedroom suite at his Toronto headquarters did not open for her. 

The complainant has told jurors that Nygard was able to open the door to the suite but she was unable to when she tried, before they spent time in the room where she alleges she was sexually assaulted. 

Nygard, the founder of a now-defunct international women's clothing company, is accused of using his position in the fashion industry to lure women and girls.

The 82-year-old has pleaded not guilty to five counts of sexual assault and one count of forcible confinement in alleged incidents ranging from the '80s to mid-2000s.

His trial has heard that the woman – the first of five complainants in the case –met Nygard for a Rolling Stones concert in Toronto in the late '80s before being led back to the private suite, where she alleges she was trapped and attacked.

The woman told jurors there was no handle on the door but Nygard's lawyer says that's inconsistent with her telling police she wasn't sure if there was a handle. 

Nygard's defence lawyer Brian Greenspan is cross-examining the woman and has been attempting to highlight apparent inconsistencies between her police statements, testimony and memory of the alleged incident.

The woman alleges Nygard instructed her to make him a sandwich in the suite before he became uncharacteristically angry, pinned her to the bed, undressed and raped her.    

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 5, 2023.

The Canadian Press