Nygard tells sex assault trial that no one could get trapped inside his private bedroom suite

Peter Nygard denied that there was any way for anyone to get locked inside his private bedroom suite at his Toronto downtown headquarters, the room where five women allege they were sexually assaulted by the one-time Canadian fashion mogul.

Nygard's denial came the first day the 82-year-old testified at his trial, where, for weeks, a Toronto courtroom has heard graphic and disturbing testimony from the five complainants.

Nygard has pleaded not guilty in Ontario's Superior Court of Justice to five counts of sexual assault and one count of forcible confinement. Justice Robert Goldstein is presiding over the jury trial.

Some of the women had previously told the court that there was a mirrored door leading into his bedroom, that it had no handle on the inside and that Nygard punched in a security code to unlock the door from inside.

Two of the women told court that they also felt trapped inside that room, that they felt there was no way out. One told court that she repeatedly begged Nygard to let her out and that he eventually relented.

But under questioning from his lawyer Brian Greenspan, Nygard said there were three exits out of his bedroom —  the main mirrored door that would go to the reception area, another exit door through the bathroom and an exit through his office.

"And under no circumstances could you ever get locked in," Nygard said.

Nygard contradicted some of the previous testimony from some of the complainants. Some had testified, for example, that the main mirrored door did not have a handle inside. Nygard said it did have a handle.

To get inside the room through that door, a code needed to be entered, he said. And to exit through that door, one could either just use the handle, or, if the door had locked, all that was needed was to push a button located near Nygard's bed, he said.

The only door, he said, that needed a code to get out, was the one through the office, he said. And that code was "1-2-3-4," he testified.

The first complainant to testify had said that when she was in the room with Nygard, and was concerned she was locked in, he showed her a keypad where he punched in some numbers to unlock the door.

But she said when she tried it, the door remained locked, and that she started "to panic a little bit," thinking "something is really wrong here."

Biographical details

Earlier in the day, Greenspan went over biographical details about his client, including about how he moved to Manitoba with his family as a young boy from Finland, and how he worked his way up to establish his fashion empire.

He was also asked about his past relationships and told court that he was married once, at the age of 28. But that marriage lasted for only three years because he was "married to his work."

Asked whether he had relationships following the breakup of his marriage, Nygard said: "Of course, I'm a human being."

Greenspan asked Nygard if these relationships were short- or long-term. He replied that because he was constantly travelling his relationships tended to be with women he was travelling with, and if they stopped accompanying him on trips, they would drift apart.

Nygard also acknowledged issues with recalling some details. At one point, Nygard had difficulty remembering the age of his daughter, Bianca, and blamed it on short-term memory loss, something he said has occurred since he turned 78.

"I recommend not to get old, it's not a good disease," he said.

'Unequivocal and emphatic denial'

On Tuesday, Greenspan began his defence with an opening statement to the jury, informing them he'd be calling Nygard to the witness box. He said his client would offer an "unequivocal and emphatic denial" that he engaged in any sexual misconduct with the five women who have claimed they were assaulted.

Nygard wore a black suit, white shirt and no tie with black-rimmed glasses and with his white hair pulled back in a bun.

The Crown contends that in the five cases — which cover a period from the late 1980s to 2005, and involve women ranging in age from 16 to their late 20s — Nygard used his power and status to lure them to his downtown Toronto office building, located at 1 Niagara St.

Once there, Nygard often provided a tour of the building, which would end in his private bedroom suite that included a giant bed, televisions on walls and a Jacuzzi, court has heard. 

And it's inside that suite, the Crown alleges — backed by each of the five women who have testified — that Nygard would attack and sexually assault them.

Nygard reaffirmed what had previously been heard in court: That he had private suites in other office buildings he owned, to be used by either employees or those coming in to visit.

Nygard said having such suites saved time for himself and others who were visiting and didn't need to commute from a hotel to the office.

Although much of the day was been spent covering Nygard's biographical details, Greenspan did make reference to previous testimony by the five complainants.

For example, Nygard was asked him if any part of his Bahamas property was used for secret sexual conduct. 

Nygard said that was "insane."

Nygard also said he couldn't recall ever paying any of his employees by cash or carrying cash on him. That denial related to the third complainant, who was a hostess for Nygard at a party at 1 Niagara and said she had been paid in cash.

The trial continues on Thursday.