(Quebec) The Crown witness told Quebec City Court on Thursday how the victim, Michelle Wenne, believed in him the day after the incident.
Stephen Champrooks recalls that the 17-year-old intern came to an unidentified meeting. The “fun and enthusiastic” young woman in general was not the same that day in August 2008.
“She’s like a trance, she’s shaking, you can see she’s suffering in a way,” said a man working at the New World Institute (INM) at the time.
After being questioned by her colleague, the young woman said she was sexually assaulted the day before by INM director Michael Wenne.
“I did not blame her because she did not want to talk about it, she felt helpless. She did not understand what was going on. She was still in shock. She did not know what to do,” the man who testified via videoconference from France explained.
“She feared it would be taken as an intern’s word against a general manager’s. She had fears. She did not want this to be known,” the Crown witness added.
Now a 29-year-old woman, the court forbids us to identify, publicly condemning the attack she made in 2014 and 2017.
Earlier this week she decided to break the silence, especially in the wake of criticism on social networks such as #moiaussi. She lodged a complaint with the police in October 2017.
For the prosecution, the evidence of Stephen Champrooks proves that in recent years the plaintiff has not discovered her assault. Instead, she would reveal it the next day.
Mr Champrooks explained that he was “very disappointed” when Michelle Wenne ended his contract. But he said he was not bad with the man and did not know the second man at the time of the confidence he received from the young woman.
Crown Attorney, mE Michelle Burube asked if he was interested in the case. “Nothing but my values and principles,” Champrooks replied.
The trial of 60-year-old Michelle Wenne continues Thursday afternoon. Another witness will be tried for prosecution. Mr. Wenne has been charged with sexual harassment and sexual exploitation.
The complainant did an internship at INM in 2008. She was in Quebec City in August of the same year as part of the company’s summer school. She stated that her employer followed her one evening to her hotel. According to Mr. Wenne it was a reconciliation attempt, he put his hand on her dress and then tried to include it in his pants.
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