Former Parti Québécois leader André Boisclair admitted on Monday that he directed the gang rape of a young man and sexually assaulted another man who kept telling him to “stop”. The two victims gave moving testimonies to their attacker, who now faces two years in prison.
Posted at 2:15 p.m.
Updated at 4:37 p.m.
“Since I walked through the door of Mr. Boisclair’s home, nothing has gone right,” said the first victim in tears at the Montreal courthouse. Her sexual assault at the hands of André Boisclair prevented her from completing her studies and increased her anxiety tenfold. “I have a bad life that just won’t go away,” she said.
In this case, André Boisclair pleaded guilty Monday to one count of sexual assault with the participation of a person. In January 2014, the accused invited the victim, met on social networks, to his home. The young man warns him straight away that he doesn’t want to have anal sex.
When he arrives, two men are already there, in addition to André Boisclair. One of them will leave the apartment, but another will take his place. The victim first consents to certain sexual acts.
However, André Boisclair’s behavior changes after taking drugs. He becomes “more directive” and talks about sodomy, which the victim refuses to do.
It was then that André Boisclair asked the two other people present to grab the young man and penetrate him. The former deputy then holds the victim by the chest while an accomplice runs. The victim struggles. When the attacker can’t do it, he says to everyone: “Let him go”.
” [La victime] had the impression that the accused was under the influence of drugs and that the accused, in quotation marks, no longer seemed there in his head, “summarized to the judge the Crown prosecutor, Ms.e Jerome Laflamme. Note that the accomplices have never been identified.
This aggression marked the young man with a hot iron. “I have nightmares, I am overwhelmed by fear. I had ideas to take my life, ”he listed. His dream of doing politics has been transformed into an “aversion” to this universe. It is that the victim “admired” André Boisclair, as a politician.
PHOTO ROBERT SKINNER, THE PRESS
Jérôme Laflamme, Crown Attorney
” Stopped ”
The second assault occurred in November 2015, also at the accused’s home. André Boisclair pleaded guilty to one count of sexual assault in this case. The ex-politician meets the victim, a young man, on a dating app. After an hour of discussion, the victim is about to leave when the accused begins to kiss her, a “consensual” gesture.
However, André Boisclair is enterprising: he kneels in front of the victim, undoes his pants and begins fellatio. The victim blurts out: “I don’t believe…”, without however finishing his sentence. The accused interrupts his gesture, and the victim pulls up his pants.
André Boisclair then drags the young man onto the bed and lays him on his stomach. The victim says to him: “Stop. But André Boisclair continues by lowering his pants. The victim says the word “Stop” again. Nothing works. The aggressor continues his sexual acts. The victim “freezes”, but ends up saying: “Stop” a third time. The defendant finally complied.
“To date, the wound has not always healed. After the attack, shame, incomprehension and fear overwhelmed me in my private life. I no longer had confidence, ”said the young man.
“I am scarred for life. […] It is not normal. I didn’t deserve this. Nobody deserves that,” he said.
PHOTO ROBERT SKINNER, THE PRESS
André Boisclair upon his arrival at the Montreal courthouse
Boisclair had “significantly impaired” judgment
André Boisclair’s lawyer, Mr.e Michel Massicotte, insisted on the “serious anxiety problems” of his client at the time to excuse the crimes. Before the first assault, André Boisclair took medication and narcotics. He had been the victim of “defamatory allegations” a few months earlier, his lawyer said.
“During the commission of the acts, his judgment will be considerably impaired”, underlined Mr.e Massicotte.
Since his arrest, André Boisclair has undertaken specialized drug addiction therapy and has undergone dozens of screening tests, argued his lawyer.
André Boisclair chose not to speak before the judge. His letter of apology to the victims was neither read in court nor entered into evidence. The former elected official made no comment to reporters. “It is the suffering of the victims that he is thinking of when he comes to acknowledge his guilt,” said his lawyer.
The parties suggested to Judge Pierre Labelle that a sentence of two years less a day be imposed. This is a “reasonable” suggestion given the case law, argued prosecutor M.e Jerome Laflamme. This proposal takes into account the “significant” impact on the victims and the finding of guilt of the accused.
The judge will deliver his judgment on July 18.