Former Sudbury track coach David Case stands trial for sexually assaulting teenage runner

A former Sudbury track coach is standing trial, accused of sexually assaulting a teenage runner in the 1980s.

David Case pleaded not guilty Monday morning in a Sudbury court to three counts of sexual assault and two counts of assault.

The Crown claims Case first sexually assaulted the alleged victim at a track meet in 1984 when she was 16 years old.

Assistant Crown Attorney Stephanie Baker says other assaults happened over the next four years while Case was the girl's coach at the Northland Track Club, promising to get her to the Olympic games.

The Crown also alleges that Case "secretly married" this runner shortly after she turned 18 and then fled the relationship five years later.

The alleged victim, who cannot be named under a court-ordered publication ban, told the court Monday she first met Case for a workout when she was 14 in 1982.

"He was a good coach and I was just a little me," she testified. "I worked really hard. I did everything he told me to do."

The alleged victim says that in 1984, Case became her coach and then he sexually assaulted her in a dorm room following a meet in southern Ontario that summer.

"I remember him saying it was OK," she said. "I don't know if I got 'no' out loud enough. It wasn't what I wanted."

The alleged victim says there were several other sexual assaults, including in a Sudbury hotel room and on a bus ride back from a track meet.

"I pretended that nothing happened. I didn't want to get in trouble with my parents. I didn't want to get Mr. Case upset. I just wanted to keep running," she said.

The trial is scheduled for the rest of this week in Sudbury court.

Case is also facing other sexual assault charges dating back to 2009 along with another former sprinter Celine Loyer.

Their trial is set for later this month.