Winnipeg police will not charge Peter Nygard following investigation
The Winnipeg Police Service said they will not be filing any criminal charges against former fashion mogul Peter Nygard following a lengthy investigation into alleged sexual assaults.
In a statement, police chief Danny Smyth said eight cases were submitted to Manitoba Justice for consideration, but following a review by Manitoba Justice, they declined to authorize criminal charges.
Nygard is currently in custody in Toronto on historical sexual assault charges. His next court appearance is scheduled for Dec. 10. He also faces charges of racketeering and sex trafficking in New York, and has agreed to extradition.
None of the charges in the two cases have been proven in court, and Nygard is presumed innocent.
Smyth said in his statement, specialized investigators worked through 15 separate files, adding some victims did not want to be involved in criminal proceedings.
“Twenty-nine witnesses, which included survivors, were interviewed as part of these investigations,” he wrote. “Over 17 agencies and therapy professionals were contacted as part of the investigations.”
He added approximately 1,600 documents were compiled during the investigations.
“The Winnipeg Police Service Sex Crimes Unit takes a survivor-focused approach when it comes to investigating claims of sexual assault,” Smyth wrote. “We understand the courage required of any survivor of sexual assault to come forward. We acknowledge and respect the decisions made by justice officials, and at times by survivors themselves, not to proceed with criminal proceedings. We continue to support survivors through their journey of healing.”
-With files from The Canadian Press
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
B.C. child killer's lawyer walks out of review hearing
The lawyer representing child-killer Allan Schoenborn walked out of his client's annual review hearing Wednesday – abruptly ending proceedings marked by tense exchanges and several outbursts.
Why drivers in Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada will see a gas price spike, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
How to avoid the trap of becoming 'house poor'
The journey to home ownership can be exciting, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew warns about the trappings of becoming 'house poor' -- where an overwhelming portion of your income is devoured by housing costs. Liew offers some practical strategies to maintain better financial health while owning a home.
It's the biggest election in history. Here's why few Indians in Canada will take part
In the Indian general election that gets underway on Friday, almost a billion people are eligible to vote, but a vast majority of the overseas Indian community in Canada won't be casting a ballot.
McDonald's customers left with 'zero value' collection of free hot drink stickers after company ends program
It took years for Vinnie Deluca to collect more than 400 cards worth of free McDonald's McCafe coffee, a collection that now has "zero value" after the company discontinued the program.
Juror dismissed in Trump hush money trial as prosecutors ask for former president to face contempt
Prosecutors in the hush money trial of Donald Trump asked Thursday for the former president to be held in contempt and fined because of seven social media posts that they said violated a judge's gag order barring him from attacking witnesses.
Toxic forever chemicals in drinking water: Is Canada doing enough?
As the United States sets its first national limits on toxic forever chemicals in drinking water, researchers say Canada is lagging when it comes to regulations.
Where did the gold go? Crime expert weighs in on unfolding Pearson airport heist investigation
Almost 7,000 bars of pure gold were stolen from Pearson International Airport exactly one year ago during an elaborate heist, but so far only a tiny fraction of that stolen loot has been found.