The retrial of Alex Wagar, the 29-year-old man accused of sexually assaulting a woman during a house party in 2011, continued on Wednesday with the accused taking the stand.
Wagar told the court his sexual encounter with the woman, who cannot be named as her identity is protected under a publication ban, was consensual.
“I just got out of jail, she was really cute,” said Wagar. “We were both pretty drunk. I liked her and she liked me.”
“If she would have said no, I would have stopped.”
Charges followed a police investigation into allegations Wagar followed the woman into the bathroom during a house party in 2011 and proceeded to have sex with her despite her opposition.
In 2014, Wagar was acquitted of sexual assault by Justice Robin Camp, a Calgary provincial court judge.
The verdict was appealed and a retrial was ordered as Justice Camp had addressed the alleged victim and questioned her inability to keep her knees together or fight off her attacker. Camp’s comments prompted a Canadian Judicial Council inquiry into his conduct.
Wagar says being forced to face accusations of sexual assault for a second time has been traumatizing
The retrial of Alex Wagar, the 29-year-old man accused of sexually assaulting a woman during a house party in 2011, continued on Wednesday with the accused taking the stand.
Wagar stated his sexual encounter with the woman, whose identity is protected under a publication ban, was consensual.
“I just got out of jail, she was really cute,” Wagar told the courtroom. “We were both pretty drunk. “I liked her. She liked me.”
“If she would have said no, I would have stopped.”
Charges followed a police investigation into allegations Wagar followed the woman into the bathroom during a house party in 2011 and proceeded to have sex with her despite her opposition.
In 2014, Wagar was acquitted of sexual assault by Justice Robin Camp, a Calgary provincial court judge.
The verdict was appealed and a retrial was ordered as Justice Camp had addressed the alleged victim and questioned her inability to keep her knees together or fight off her attacker.
Camp’s comments prompted a Canadian Judicial Council inquiry into his conduct.
Wagar says being forced to face accusations of sexual assault for a second time has been traumatizing.
With files from CTV's Alesia Fieldberg
