Former Calgary Stampeder, Joffrey Reynolds took the stand in his own defence on Friday morning.
Reynolds is accused of breaking into his ex-girlfriend's apartment and assaulting her.
Police were called to an apartment in Eau Claire at 4:00 a.m. on July 14, 2012 after a woman reported that a man had broken into her apartment and assaulted her.
Reynolds was charged with break and enter and assault causing bodily harm.
On Thursday, Kaitlin Ward, Reynolds’ ex-girlfriend testified at his trial and told the court her version of what happened that night.
Ward says she went to a club with some friends and Reynolds last July and that the pair got into an argument about their relationship. They had dated for several years and lived together for part of that time but had since broken up.
Ward says he was in her apartment when she came home later that night and that he tackled her and tried to choke her.
On Friday, Reynolds testified and said that he moved into the condo with Ward just days before the incident happened.
He described his relationship with her as tumultuous and said it was full of ups and downs.
He says he moved in with Ward after he lost his house.
Reynolds told the court that Ward confronted him in the bar earlier that evening about cheating on her and left upset.
He says he went back to her house to stay because he didn't want her to think he was with another woman.
Reynolds says he was passed out on the bed when he woke up to her hitting him.
He testified that Ward punched him and hit him from behind when he started to move to the living room.
Reynolds says Ward is a tall athletic woman and that he was wary about what she might do so he brought her to the ground, straddled her and tried to stop her from screaming.
He told the court that he had no intent to harm her and was trying to defuse the situation and calm her down.
