Former PQ MP Harold LeBel has “never” assaulted anyone, he said Monday before a jury, on the fourth day of his trial for sexual assault. “I’ve never done that in my life,” he hammered, while admitting that he and his alleged victim had kissed.
Questioned by his lawyer, Me Maxime Roy, the former elected official denied in turn the events reported last week during the testimony of his alleged victim. He admitted kissing her, but pleaded in the same breath that the gesture was consensual. “That happened,” he said. We were all alone at that time, we had discussed our personal situations, romantic situations. »
“Very quickly, we said to ourselves: “Wô, what is happening?” We backed off. Both, we backed down, ”he argued.
PQ MP for Rimouski until 2020 – when he was excluded from caucus – Mr. LeBel faces a charge of sexual assault for acts allegedly committed in October 2017. On Thursday, Judge Serge Francoeur had chosen to suspend the trial until Monday, thereby eliminating the examination of a witness from the schedule.
Last week, the alleged victim, whose identity is protected by a publication ban, had indicated before judge and jury that she had been slow to file a complaint “for fear of causing trouble”. The assault allegedly took place in Mr. LeBel’s apartment in Rimouski, during a party where he agreed to host her and a friend.
According to the statements of the alleged victim, the events would have occurred in the early morning. Mr. LeBel would then have touched her thighs after a long discussion. “Surprise”, she would have gone to take a shower. The accused then allegedly tried to open the bathroom door, which was locked from the inside. “When I went to the toilet, I was worried. [C’était] to ask if everything was fine, ”replied the ex-MP on Monday.
After going to bed in a Murphy bed, the alleged victim would have received a visit from her alleged attacker, who would have subjected her to unwanted touching all night long. ” It’s wrong. No, I’ve never done that. I really never did that, ”defended Mr. LeBel.
Mr. LeBel had driven his alleged victim from Quebec to Rimouski the day before. The very morning of the alleged events, he had notably met with the Center for help and the fight against local sexual assault, said the ex-MP.
In an email sent to his alleged victim in 2020, the ex-MP had already said he had “no memory” of having touched or assaulted her three years earlier. “Here’s an evening of drinking I wish I had never known,” he wrote.
The testimony of Mr. LeBel continues Monday, at the Rimouski courthouse.
Further details will follow.