Former ice hockey player Noah Corson not only did nothing to verify the age of his 15-year-old victim, but he also penetrated her without her consent during a gang rape, the Crown argued Thursday in the trial of former Drummondville player Voltigeure. The defense, on the other hand, asks the judge to reject the complainant’s version.
Posted at 1:12 p.m.
“Apparently she wanted to take part in group sexual activities. Maybe she’s not proud of it. But my opinion is that she has consented and that she does not want to acknowledge it,” Me Jasmin Laperle, Noah Corson’s attorney, argued at the Drummondville courthouse.
The 25-year-old from Sherbrooke – whose real name is Noah Lee Jette Corson – is accused of sexual assault with other people. He faces at least five years in prison because the victim was under 16 years old. His two accomplices, 17-year-old ice hockey players, pleaded guilty before the youth chamber. We therefore cannot identify them.
The case dates back to 2016, when Noah Corson, son of former Canadian player Shayne Corson, was an 18-year-old hockey player with the Drummondville Voltigeurs. One evening Noah Corson is sitting in the Cage aux Sports with his two smaller accomplices. One of them invites the complainant – met through social networks – and a friend to join them.
The evening continues in the 15-year-old girl’s apartment. The versions differ in what happens next. In all cases it is assumed that sexual activity took place in the group. At trial, the complainant said she performed oral sex on one of the boys while another assaulted her. According to her statement, she did not consent.
PHOTO MARTIN CHAMBERLAND, THE PRESS
I Marc-André Roy, Crown prosecutor
“Mr Corson was not invited into the room. The door was closed. He is the one who invites himself. No steps are taken to verify consent [la plaignante] and penetrates her,” argued Crown prosecutor Marc-André Roy.
According to the Crown, the testimony of one of the 17-year-old attackers is particularly impressive. The boy doesn’t play the good role: he talks about his erection problems and the discomfort during the act. He said he heard sounds of sexual intercourse in the bedroom and sounds of slaps after he left the room.
According to the witness, the teenager was visibly crying as she left the room. Her mascara had run out. “In Mr. Corson’s version, everything is good, everything is right. I think you can conclude that there was no consent,” Me Roy argued.
The decisive factor in this case is the complainant’s age, as at the age of 15 she was unable to consent to group sexual activity. The defense therefore insists that Noah Corson was “100%” convinced that she was 18 at the time of the events because he believed he was going to “her” apartment and that she said she was going in Go to an apartment bar. Furthermore, his belief was sincere but false, argues the defense.
PHOTO MARTIN CHAMBERLAND, THE PRESS
I am Jasmin Laperle, criminal defense lawyer
“I am convinced that the two girls, who knew that Voltigeurs players would be there, were not striving to be younger, but to be older,” said Me Laperle, defending.
An argument that was poorly received by Justice Paul Dunnigan.
“I wouldn’t get involved in stereotypes because as a hockey player it’s likely that young girls won’t see clearly anymore. I wouldn’t go there,” he said.
Noah Corson took “no steps” to find out the complainant’s age, the Crown argued. According to Mr. Roy, if he had spoken to her at all in the evening, he would have found out her age. However, Corson relied only on his “conclusions” and showed willful blindness.
The prosecutor even invited the judge to observe the complainant in the courtroom. “Look at her, at 22 years old. Give it seven years. Was he reasonable based on the look on his face? [de conclure que] yes, she has to be 16? », started the prosecutor.
“We can’t do this exercise,” the defender replied.
For the defense, it could be assumed that the complainant was CEGEP because she was a 17-year-old CEGEP student.
“She was just a few months away from turning 16, she was neither 13 nor 14. She was close to consenting to the sexual activity that took place that evening,” Me Laperle also argued.
The judge will make his decision on February 9th.