Complainant in Nygard trial says former mogul said he wanted to help with career

A woman who has accused Peter Nygard of sexual assault is telling jurors at his Toronto trial that the former fashion mogul flew her to Toronto under the guise of helping with her fashion career.

Nygard, the founder of a now-defunct international women's clothing company, is accused of using his position in the fashion industry to lure women and girls.

The 82-year-old has pleaded not guilty to five counts of sexual assault and one count of forcible confinement in alleged incidents ranging from the '80s to mid-2000s.

The jury has heard that the fifth and final complainant, whose identity is protected by a publication ban, first met Nygard in the late 80s at a nightclub in Gatineau, Que., while she was living in nearby Ottawa.

She is testifying that she gave Nygard her number at the time but didn't hear from him until months later, when she had turned 21, and he called her family home in Ottawa to invite her for a business meeting in Toronto.

She says Nygard booked her a flight to Toronto and put her up in a hotel room for the meeting, which she and her mother thought was to help with her fashion design aspirations.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 16, 2023.