Doreze Beals testifies at his human trafficking trial

A Nova Scotia man on trial for human trafficking took the stand in his own defence Friday, testifying the alleged victim was not sexually assaulted and was only hidden in a cellar because she feared her mother.

Doreze Beals, 19, of North Preston is accused of kidnapping a young girl, sexually assaulting her and threatening to force her into prostitution. The charges stem from incidents in North Preston in April 2014.

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On Friday, Beals told a Nova Scotia Supreme Court judge in Halifax he barely knew the girl who made the complaints against him. He said he'd communicated with her a couple of times, mostly through Facebook and texting.

Under direct examination from his lawyer, Beals struggled to remember details of the day he was arrested, frequently groaning and rubbing his forehead.

He also said he doesn't have a watch and doesn't keep track of time, so he wasn't sure when events happened, or how long they lasted.

But he did say he and the girl ended up alone at his house. While they were talking, her mother showed up. Beals told court the girl was terrified of her mother and asked him to hide her. He said she insisted on being put down a trap door into the cellar under the house, where he testified she hid until her mother left.

Victims's version much different

The girl testified as Beals's trial in December and was the prosecution's first witness.

She told a much different version of events, and said she was forced into the cellar, the door was closed over her and she spent considerable time there. She also said she was sexually assaulted by Beals's co-accused, Andre Gray.

Gray, also 19 and from North Preston, has pleaded guilty to charges of assault and confinement. His sentencing has been delayed because the Beals trial has dragged on longer than expected.

Beals told court he knew Gray because they attended school together. But he did not consider Gray a friend.

Beals said he spent much of the day with the girl, either at his home or the homes of friends in North Preston.

Photos

But the Crown produced photos seized from Gray's phone, which showed Gray and the girl in a trailer on Gray's property. The time-stamp on the photos was for the same time Beals claimed to be with the girl in another part of the community.

The Crown asked Beals if he'd offered the girl work in Toronto. He said no. The Crown asked if Beals had a relative who drove girls to Toronto to work. Again, Beals said no.

The girl has testified Beals told her he was going to send her to Toronto to work. She told court she took that to mean he was going to force her into prostitution.

Beals denied the allegation, saying no one sexually assaulted the girl and no one forced her to do anything against her will.

Beals was the final defence witness. Closing arguments in the case will be heard Feb. 11.

CBC reporter Blair Rhodes was live blogging from Nova Scotia Supreme Court in Halifax.