Man testifies about meeting alleged prostitution ring victim

The trial of three Ottawa teenaged girls accused of luring their peers into prostitution heard from a man who said he sent one of the alleged victims home without having sex with her.

Earlier this week, the court heard that a 17-year-old girl had been offered to two men in one night after being told on Facebook that she would be going to a party.

Derouchie testified Thursday that the girl arrived at his doorstep crying, wearing "lots of makeup" and a pink dress, and told him she had been raped.

"I've never seen anyone cry like her," Derouchie said. "It was scary."

Derouchie said he thought he was being introduced to a young woman for pizza and conversation.

He told the court he gave the girl a shirt, his flip-flops, a chocolate bar and paid $50 for a cab to take her home. She left without asking for any money.

Witness said he met accused through Craigslist

Derouchie said he had previously met one of the accused, who claimed to be an escort, through Craigslist. He said they spent a couple hours talking and sipping vodka drinks together. He said there was no sex and he paid her $160.

Derouchie said that two weeks later the girl called him and said she wanted to introduce him to another girl to keep him company.

He said the night he met the alleged victim was "the worst day of my life."

When the two accused girls came to his home to pick up the girl, Derouchie said he yelled at them, saying, "The girl is 17. What are you doing?"

He identified the two girls who came to his home as those sitting in the prisoners box.

In cross-examination by defence lawyer Trevor Brown, who represents one of the 16-year-old defendants, Derouchie said he wanted to call 911 when the crying girl arrived at his home, but she asked him not to. That contradicts what the alleged victim told the court. She testified that Derouchie told her not to call police.

Brown questioned Derouchie’s memory of one of the accused, who he met only once a year ago.

"I will never get the image out of my mind," said Derouchie. "I was looking at their eyes."