Canada's Nygard sentenced to 11 years in sex assault cases

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STORY: Former Canadian fashion mogul Peter Nygard has been sentenced to 11 years in prison after being convicted of four counts of sexual assault in attacks on women in his Toronto office building.

During a six-week trial, the Ontario Superior Court heard testimony from five complainants, who said during a period between the late 1980s to around 2005 Nygard had attacked them in a private bedroom suite on the top floor of the building.

A Toronto jury found Nygard guilty last November.

The 83-year-old was acquitted of a fifth count of sexual assault and one count of forcible confinement.

Justice Robert Goldstein said Monday that Nygard "used his wealth and his power" to commit the assaults.

Crown prosecutor Neville Golwalla:

"... Justice Goldstein sentenced Mr. Nygard accordingly and found him to have committed these sexual assaults in a way that makes him, as we have been saying, recognizes the description of him as a sexual predator. That is the bottom line. That is the story.”

Canadian police arrested Nygard in late 2020 at the request of the United States, where he was accused of using his businesses to lure women and girls to sexually gratify himself and his associates.

Toronto police laid their own charges about a year later.

Nygard also faces charges in Manitoba and Quebec and is fighting extradition to the U.S., where he faces federal charges in New York for nine offences.

Survivor Jennifer Hoffman called for changes in Canada and the U.S.

"We all need to be on the same team, and we need to eliminate predators like this from continuing to hurt women and girls and human beings. Period.”

Nygard became one of the wealthiest people in Canada while running his namesake clothing company.

The 11-year sentence is reduced to take into account time he has already spent behind bars.

Nygard has about 6.7 years left to serve and will be eligible for full parole after one-third of that.