Woman Recounts Alleged Assault in Frank Stronach Trial
A woman testified in a Toronto court on Thursday, describing a harrowing experience she says occurred over four decades ago, as the sexual assault trial of billionaire businessman Frank Stronach commenced. The woman, now in her 60s, told the court she woke up in a dimly lit room, seeing her own face and someone's back reflected in a ceiling mirror, and realized she was being raped.
Details of the Alleged Incident
The woman, who cannot be identified due to a publication ban, stated she felt confused and terrified during the alleged assault. She recounted meeting Stronach at his Toronto restaurant, Rooney's, while celebrating her upcoming birthday with co-workers in what she believes was 1981. She said she blacked out at times during the evening.
"I feel someone having sex with me and I realize that it's him and I'm just very confused," she testified. "I'm terrified and I'm naked and I don't know how I got there." She emphasized she did not consent, noting she would never have slept with "an old man, particularly an old, married man."
Testimony and Cross-Examination
During her testimony, the woman described specific details of the night. She said Stronach appeared with champagne at the restaurant, and she later found herself on a dance floor where he allegedly touched her inappropriately. "I felt his fingers directly inside me and I recall it being painful," she said, adding she felt discombobulated and unable to control her body.
She testified that her dress was lifted, her underwear pushed aside, and there was a hole in her pantyhose. After pushing him away, she said Stronach shoved her into a booth and continued the assault. She later woke up with him on top of her, then fled to a bathroom to dress.
Defence lawyer Leora Shemesh cross-examined the woman, questioning her memory of dates and locations. Shemesh suggested the testimony might be "tainted" due to inconsistencies, such as initially stating the incident occurred in 1980 rather than 1981. The woman acknowledged uncertainty but said she was 90% sure it was 1981 after reviewing a recommendation letter from that year.
Background and Trial Context
Stronach, 93, has pleaded not guilty to a dozen charges related to alleged incidents from the late 1970s to the 1990s. He is best known as the founder of Magna International, an auto parts conglomerate. This trial involves seven complainants and has garnered international attention, with several delays before proceedings began.
The trial was postponed by over a week after Stronach's lawyer requested more time to prepare, citing a large volume of disclosure received late. Shemesh has indicated plans to apply for a stay of proceedings over concerns about possible coaching of complainants by prosecutors, to be heard after the trial.
Prosecutors aim to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the incidents occurred without consent and that Stronach was aware or willfully blind to the lack of consent. The woman testified she did not report the assault immediately, saying, "I just wanted it to be over," and feared disbelief. She contacted police in 2015 after an anxiety-inducing incident, leading to charges in 2024.
Stronach is also expected to face a separate sexual assault trial in Newmarket, Ontario, later this year, which he has denied. The current judge-alone trial is set to continue with further cross-examination.
