Peter Nygard's bedroom in his Toronto HQ shown in video played at sexual assault trial
Prosecutors at the sexual assault trial of fashion magnate Peter Nygard played a promotional video illustrating his building on Niagara Street in downtown Toronto, as it appeared when it was occupied by Nygard's business, including the private bedroom on the top floor where the assaults allegedly took place.
The video illustrated the "Berlin Room," known for its table that featured a section of the Berlin Wall, a waterfall that cascaded from the third to the first floor, a gym and a showroom that was typical of the luxury for the wealthy designer, who added another floor when he redesigned the building in 1986.
- Download our app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
That floor contained the bedroom itself — which the video calls Nygard's VIP suite — and featured a large bed, a jacuzzi, views of the Toronto skyline seen through its attached shower and sauna, and custom security features.
Former Nygard contractor David Gauthier told the court that many of the doors on that top floor were designed to be hidden, with the main entrance to the bedroom appearing to be just a mirror on the outside.
READ MORE: Nygard used secret bedroom in his company's Toronto HQ for sexual assaults: Crown
That was the door that automatically locked unless someone pressed a button near the bed, he said.
"To get out that door, I would go to the door, and someone else would have to press the button and disengage the mag lock for me to get out," he said.
An image from a promotional video played at Peter Nygard's trial.
But it wasn't the only entrance to the bedroom. Diagrams entered as exhibits in court also showed another entry through Nygard's office, which could be accessed through the Berlin Room.
Nygard is accused of sexually assaulting five women, aged 16 to 28, from the late 1980s to 2005.
Prosecutors allege the women were offered jobs or exclusive experiences, and often a tour of the building, which ended in the bedroom, and that's when the women were attacked.
The 82-year-old has pleaded not guilty to five counts of sexual assault and one count of forcible confinement.
Gauthier had told authorities that there were no interior handles on the mirror door — an observation that the Crown counsel repeated in their opening address to the jury.
But Gauthier contradicted that on the stand, saying there was a handle as the door opened inwards to the bedroom.
Nygard's lawyer, Brian Greenspan, pointed out that Nygard had bedrooms at many of his international properties.
Testifying Thursday is a clinical psychologist, the crown said.
"It could be a very worthy way to come at something to educate the jury first and foremost on how trauma works, what it's like in the mind, and what happens to people when they endure trauma," said trauma therapist Shannon Moroney.
"It could be a preparation to understand more fully what is going on when they do hear these traumatic testimonies."
The women who stated they were attacked by Nygard are expected to testify in the coming days.
Nygard founded Nygard International in Winnipeg, Man. in 1967 and stepped down as chairman of the clothing company in February 2020 before it filed for bankruptcy.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories

Alleged Montreal-area 'Chinese police stations' planning to sue RCMP for $2.5 million
Two Chinese community centres in the Montreal area are planning to launch a $2.5 million defamation lawsuit against the RCMP and the Attorney General of Canada after being accused by the police force of hosting 'alleged Chinese police stations.'
With Canada set to reimpose cap on working hours, international students worry about paying for tuition, living expenses
Canada is set to reimpose the cap on the number of hours that international students can work off campus. But with heightened cost-of-living concerns in Canada, many international students say they're not sure how they'll be able to afford their tuition and living expenses if they can't work full-time.
Inmate stabbed Derek Chauvin 22 times, charged with attempted murder, prosecutors say
A federal inmate was charged Friday with attempted murder in the prison stabbing of Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer convicted of murdering George Floyd.
Lawyer in Ali murder trial says 13-year-old B.C. victim was not an 'innocent'
Ibrahim Ali's lawyer says the 13-year-old girl he's accused of murdering in a British Columbia park wasn't the “innocent” depicted in a “rose-coloured” portrayal by the Crown at trial.
'Jumped over their heads': Kangaroo escapes Ontario zoo during overnight stay
The search for a kangaroo that escaped an Ontario zoo will resume on Saturday morning, according to volunteers attempting to catch the marsupial.
Mild, rainy winter expected as Canada warms at twice the global rate
Winter will be unusually warm and rainy across much of the country this year, according to the latest data from Environment and Climate Change Canada.
Air Canada debuts app feature to track baggage. Here's how it works
Air Canada is hoping to give its customers more confidence when travelling with checked luggage through a new baggage tracking feature.
Paraguay official resigns after signing agreement with fictional country
A Paraguayan government official was replaced after it was revealed that he signed a memorandum of understanding with representatives of a fugitive Indian guru's fictional country, who also appear to have duped several local officials in the South American country.
CSIS to probe B.C. office after allegations of rape, harassment and toxic workplace
Canada's spy agency says it has launched a workplace assessment of its British Columbia office over 'serious allegations' raised by whistleblowers who say they were sexually assaulted and harassed by a senior officer.