Crown wraps up case in Frank Stronach sexual assault trial

< warm>WARNING: This story references sexual assault allegations and may impress those who feature experient​ ​​​sexual force or know someone affected by it.

The Crown has wrapped up its case in the sexual assault trial of Frank Stronach, having heard from all seven complainants whose allegations against the Canadian businessman included sexual assault, attempted rape and rape.

The allegations span the period between 1977 and 1990. Many of the women told similar stories — meeting Stronach at Rooney's, the Toronto restaurant he used to own, and then accepting an invitation back to his Harbourfront condo. It's there where they allege he sexually assaulted them.

The 93-year-old founder of auto-parts giant Magna International has been in court during the entire proceedings, wearing a dark suit and listening to all the testimony.

He faces a total of 10 charges, including sexual assault. Two of the 10 counts, rape and attempted rape, are considered historical charges as they were abolished when the Criminal Code was amended in 1983 to create the offence of sexual assault.

There were initially 12 counts, but two of the charges related to the sixth complainant were withdrawn by the Crown.

Stronach has denied the allegations and has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Shemesh, who is expected to launch her defence for Stronach on Monday, would not comment on whether her client will take the witness box.

But she will be arguing this Friday for a directed verdict on two charges for two of the complainants. A directed verdict would allow a judge to come to the determination that no jury properly instructed could ever convict on that count, Shemesh told reporters.

One involves the date on which Stronach is alleged to have committed the assault against one of the complainants and whether the charge falls under the old legislation of rape or new legislation of sexual assault.

The other, Shemesh said, has to do with whether Stronach should have been charged with attempt rape in connection with another complainant.

The Crown called eight witnesses, all seven complainants and the friend and co-worker of the final complainant, to testify.

The final complainant, now 69, testified that she had met Stronach at Rooney's, the restaurant he owned, sometime between 1982 and 1983.

The week after they met, the woman said that they ended up going out to a restaurant at a Harbourfront hotel. She said that during dessert, she accepted Stronach's offer to go back to his condo.

Once there, Stronach attempted to kiss her, but she rebuffed him, telling him she was "not here for the that," the woman told court.

She said he then pulled her to a room with a cot, and she reluctantly followed him.

The woman said that she was thinking she could control the situation by giving Stronach "a few smooches" there, and then she would "be on my way. And we're going to be done with it."

She said Stronach, laying on the cot, pulled her on top of him. Stronach again attempted to kiss her and then put his hand up her dress, the woman testified.

She told the court she was overpowered by Stronach and said to herself she had to “let this happen because you can’t fight him, you can’t push him off …. He’s got you trapped.”

The woman said Stronach climbed on top of her, unzipped his pants, took out his penis and raped her with no condom.

But on Tuesday, Shemesh put to the woman that all the sexual acts between her and Stronach were consensual, an accusation the woman flatly denied.

Shemesh also accused the woman of lying at various times during her testimony in court.

Shemesh referred to the woman's preliminary testimony, in which she told court she had not read an account in the media from another woman who alleged Stronach ripped her pantyhose during her encounter with him.

Shemesh pointed out that the woman had told police and the Crown attorneys that she had read that report.

"So you lied," Shemesh said.

The woman said the testimony was incorrect, but that she was incredibly overwhelmed and discombobulated by the experience of being in court.

Shemesh also referred to another section of the woman's testimony at the preliminary hearing, in which she testified she didn't reach out to anyone before contacting police in 2024 about the alleged rape.

The woman, however, testified at the trial that she had reached out to a civil litigator before making contact with police.

The woman told Shemesh that she was under the assumption that her conversation with any lawyer was privileged information.

"So you thought it was OK to lie to a judge," Shemesh said.

The woman repeated that she thought that because it was privileged information she did not have to disclose the contact.

Shemesh also suggested that the woman may be looking for some financial gain and that she wanted to keep her options open regarding any potential civil suit.

"This is not about money. There's no amount of money that can fix this, and I've said this several times," the woman said.

Court had previously heard from the woman that she runs some successful businesses and is involved in multi-million dollar deals.

But on Wednesday, Shemesh challenged her on the success of some of these businesses.

"As far as the companies that I have taken you through, those companies have really not earned very much money at all," Shemesh said.

The woman said that one of those companies was not making money now, but during the COVID pandemic it was doing very well.

Senior Reporter

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