A singing star who had several of her intimate photos found on the computer equipment of the alleged ‘star spy’ called the anguish experienced ‘horrific’. Emotional in front of the images presented, she lamented the “violation” of her privacy.
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It was at the sight of a family photo that this personality from the world of music whose identity is protected could not hold back her tears.
“It’s hard to see his private life being spread out like that,” she said during her testimony at the trial of Pascal Desgagnés, which resumed Monday after a week’s break.
Crown prosecutor Julien Gaudet-Lachapelle then presented the complainant with intimate photos of her and her ex-spouse. Again, the emotion was strong.
“It was private,” insisted the alleged victim, adding that these images should “never see the light of day”, be published. “In no case were we supposed to live what we live today”, she hammered.
Constant fear
Especially since the precautions had been taken, she explained to judge Rachel Gagnon in her testimony by videoconference from a courthouse in the greater Montreal area.
When she and her ex-spouse took photos or videos in an intimate context, it was always with her phone and not that of her spouse, she took care to specify.
“It was with my phone because even he didn’t want to use his and I think it might turn against me one day, that I might not trust him. He preferred to use my phone to give me that confidence,” explained the artist, who says he lost sleep for fear that these images would be distributed or even sold.
While she said she was never ashamed to make these images in a personal context, she admitted that the fear came with the realization that a potentially malicious person could get their hands on this sensitive content.
“It’s not something shameful in itself to have this kind of content there. But when it’s no longer in your hands, when it has the potential to do a lot of harm to a lot of people, then suddenly there’s a kind of shame, an embarrassment. It’s not easy,” the woman testified, adding that she felt the ground slip away from under her feet when investigators told her of the extent of the leak.
“It is something that should belong to us, that is precious, whatever the nature, something that is taken in trust whether it is between two people, a couple, friends, a family. It should never end up in someone else’s hands.”
“Deep malaise”
Two other plaintiffs testified Monday morning to the consequences of the hacking of their iCloud on their lives, also evoking fear, stress and anxiety.
“It invaded my privacy and it caused me a lot of stress. Especially the viewing of photos and videos made for me and my close friends, in a private way and the fact that there, a lot [de gens] have seen these pieces,” explained one of the young women, describing as “deep unease” the feeling at the idea that a stranger could have had such personal images in his possession.
Like the other witnesses already heard, these complainants said that personal data from their iCloud had been found on Pascal Desgagnés’ computer.
Three other witnesses are scheduled to be heard Monday afternoon.