Jake Virtanen testifies at sexual assault trial

Former Vancouver Canuck Jake Virtanen has taken the stand at his British Columbia Supreme Court docket trial, after his defence lawyer completed cross-examination of the girl who has accused him of sexually assaulting her in 2017.

Virtanen informed the jury trial he met the girl when he was 20 years previous and he or she was 18 on the Calgary Stampede in 2017, they usually stayed in contact over Instagram and textual content messages all through that summer season once they each returned to B.C.

He testified that he was not adamant or insistent that he and the girl meet on the evening of the alleged assault in his downtown Vancouver lodge room, although he had informed her he can be busy with Canucks commitments for the remainder of the week.

Virtanen informed the courtroom the girl didn’t increase any considerations after he picked her up from the buddy’s home the place she was staying throughout a go to to the town, and drove along with her again to his lodge.

The lady, whose identify is protected by a publication ban, has testified that she repeatedly stated “no” earlier than Virtanen allegedly sexually assaulted her that evening.

Virtanen, who’s now 25, was charged with one rely of sexual assault in January following an investigation by Vancouver police.

The Crown has completed calling proof within the trial.

Throughout cross-examination earlier Thursday, Virtanen’s defence lawyer Brock Martland requested the girl why she attended a pre-season sport between the Canucks and Calgary Flames two days after the evening of the alleged assault.

She agreed that the incident she had described was an “aggressive rape,” which was traumatic for her, and that she did not need to see Virtanen afterwards.

She informed the jury trial she went to the sport along with her buddy as a result of she had all the time needed to attend an expert sport, having performed sports activities all through her life.

The 23-year-old girl additionally testified she hadn’t but totally processed what had occurred and he or she was texting Virtanen as if every part was regular as a result of she needed to faux the alleged assault hadn’t occurred.

The lady didn’t go to police in September 2017.

In April 2021, she posted her story to an Instagram web page for survivors of sexual assault, then spoke with a reporter from Glacier Media for a newspaper story, naming Virtanen as the person who allegedly sexually assaulted her.

Martland homed in Thursday on messages she exchanged with that web page.

He confirmed her a screen-capture picture of a message the place she referred to “rumours” about what had occurred, saying “It was simply checked out as, ‘Oh, (she) slept with an NHL participant,’ prefer it was factor that I ought to really feel pleased with, and I used to be left questioning if it was even thought of an assault due to his place in hockey.”

“Sure,” she replied.

“Over time, I did say that I doubted myself due to folks not believing me.”

Martland confirmed the girl one other message the place she stated folks had been making “harsh” feedback about Virtanen on-line after his identify was related along with her allegation, and he or she was involved it may result in violence towards him.

“I clearly don’t love him for what he did, however I would not need to want violence upon him,” she testified in response.

“I did need him penalized, I did need him held accountable, and even after I went to the police initially I felt just a little bit uncomfortable about, , having somebody charged and basically working their life,” she stated.

“However on the identical time, he did not even skip a beat when he violated me.”

The Canucks positioned Virtanen on depart in Might 2021 after the sexual assault allegation was made public, and purchased out his contract the next month. He final performed within the Russian-based Kontinental Hockey League.

Throughout cross-examination earlier this week, Martland argued {that a} sexual encounter between the girl and Virtanen was consensual.

He urged she may have supplied up an excuse for why she could not have intercourse, like saying she was menstruating or she had a yeast an infection.

“I believed saying ‘No, I do not need to do that. I severely do not need to do that,’ holding my fingers on his hips, pushing him off me, was sufficient,” she replied.

Earlier than wrapping up his cross-examination on Thursday, Martland apologized for the query about why she had not supplied an excuse, calling it insensitive.

This report by The Canadian Press was first revealed July 21, 2022.