Former Radio-Canada personality Éric Salvail should know Friday afternoon if he will be convicted for sexual assault, forcible confinement, and harassment.
The 51-year-old Quebec media personality is accused of sexual assault, harassment, and unlawful confinement in connection with events that allegedly occurred between April and October 1993. Donald Duguay, his former co-worker, claims Salvail cornered him in the bathroom, exposed himself, and tried to force him into performing a sex act.
During the criminal trial, Duguay testified that Salvail kidnapped and sexually assaulted him in a Radio-Canada bathroom, after several months of advances, sexual comments, and inappropriate touching in the workplace.
Salvail, who testified in his own defence, denied all allegations made against him. He has said that he was no longer working at Radio-Canada when several of the criminal acts were allegedly committed in a Radio-Canada bathroom.
While the defence attacked the credibility of Duguay, Crown prosecutor Amélie Rivard called Salvail’s testimony “implausible and incoherent,” even arguing that it should be rejected “in its entirety.”
The trial concluded in mid-November. Salvail was arrested by the police in January 2019. Any accused is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Judge Alexandre Dalmau of the Court of Quebec is expected to render his verdict Friday at the Montreal courthouse.
© 2020 The Canadian Press
