Former Yellowknife councillor claims charges against him fabricated
Robin Williams is accused of 14 counts of assault and sexual assault. He denies all of them.
WARNING: This story includes details of abuse.
Former Yellowknife city councillor Robin Williams described a version of events very different his accuser's in the N.W.T. supreme court on Friday.
Williams, who served on council from 2018 to 2022, is accused of 14 counts of assault and sexual assault from 2014 to late 2022. He denies all the allegations against him.
All of the charges Williams is facing are alleged to have been committed against the same woman, whose identity is protected by a publication ban.
Williams told jurors that he was never violent with the woman.
He said that she assaulted him, and described being hit many times.
In one instance where Williams is accused of spitting chewing tobacco at her, Williams said she was yelling in his face, and in telling her to stop, some of the tobacco came loose from a packed position on the side of his mouth to the front of his mouth and aspirated onto her.
Asked about a photo of the woman with a black eye, Williams said it came from an event where the woman hit herself in the face three times in an incident he said concerned and shocked him.
He told the court that the woman was often irrational and emotionally unstable. Particularly when drinking, which he said was throughout many of the alleged incidents.
During cross-examination, Crown prosecutor Brian Bencze suggested to Williams that many of the events would make more sense if Williams had been angry and assaulted the woman.
Williams responded by saying he couldn't explain her actions, and said he believed she had fabricated evidence.
Cross-examination ended Friday.
Lawyers will present their closing arguments Monday before the jury begins its deliberations.