The golf coach who was accused of fondling the breasts of a 13-year-old girl was acquitted on the bench Friday, even before the defense’s argument was heard.
Angie Éthier was accused of sexual contact with a minor, incitement to sexual contact, sexual assault and armed assault. His trial opened Thursday at the Longueuil courthouse.
Angie Éthier is a professional golfer, a member of the Canadian Men’s Professional Golf Tour (PGA Tour Canada) since 2018. He gives golf lessons in Longueuil and Thailand. On his website, he describes himself as one of Quebec’s golf “experts”.
The Director of Penal and Criminal Prosecutions (DPCP) confirmed the acquittal of Angie Éthier on Saturday. “The Judge, after a short deliberation, indicated that she believed the accused’s version and therefore had to acquit the gentleman,” said a spokesperson by email.
On Friday, Justice Louise Leduc asked to hear the crown’s argument first. “The crown pleaded, and the judge did not want to hear us. She immediately left for deliberation,” said the defense lawyer, Mr.e Conrad Lord, in interview with The Press.
The judge then acquitted the accused on the bench, without even hearing the defense’s argument. “The fact of not hearing the defense is an indication that the judge had no doubt that my client is innocent,” commented Me Conrad Lord.
Two testimonies
Angie Éthier rejected outright the allegations of the young complainant, Mégane*, who said on Thursday that she had been sexually assaulted by the golfer when she was “12 or 13 years old”. His identity is protected by court order. We must therefore omit certain parts of the evidence presented at trial.
According to Mégane’s account, now 19 years old, Angie Éthier took advantage of a golf lesson to “flatter her breasts” and move back and forth on her, while he was stuck behind her. She reported feeling something “hard” in her lower back, possibly a “penis.”
Thursday, in cross-examination, the defense lawyer, Mr.e Conrad Lord, asked the complainant why she did not tell the accused to stop at that time. “I’m afraid of him,” she replied. Following the criminal lawyer’s insistent questions, the young woman burst into tears.
Testifying in her defense, Angie Éthier described the golf lesson in a very different way. He assured that he never touched Mégane’s body during the course. The golfer claims to have only shown the other children who were present how to hit the ball from a distance.
* Fictitious name
With the collaboration of Louis-Samuel Perron, The Press