Ex-Woodstock mayor Trevor Birtch 'very different behind the scenes,' complainant tells sexual assault trial

WARNING: This story references allegations of sexual assault:

The complainant in thesexual assault caseagainst former Woodstock, Ont., mayor Trevor Birtchstruggled to recall some details of the alleged assaults when she resumed her testimonyon Friday.

The woman, who's in her late 30s and whose identityis protected by court order, had dated Birtch on and off from 2017 to 2022.Birtch, 49, has pleaded not guilty to three counts of sexual assault relating to the woman, who began her testimony on Thursday afternoon.

On Friday, she couldn't give specifics of the alleged assaults, but said she suffered repeated abuse.

Under questioning by assistant Crown attorney Jennifer Moser, the woman described a general pattern of abuse. She told the court that Birtch would goto her downtown Woodstock apartment on an almostdaily basis. She said he would often abuse her and act inappropriately, but she would allow him to see her again.

"I was ashamed," she said. "I was embarrassed that I kept hanging out with him and allowing him into my life."

Birtchserved two terms as mayor until his defeat in 2022.The Ontario Superior Court trial, which started on Tuesday andis scheduled to continue into next week, is being heard by a judge alone.

At times during Friday's hearing,Moserlet the witness read short sections of a statement she gave to police in April2022 to jog her memory about details, in particular, dates on when the alleged assaults occurred.

The witness was asked about an incident at a house where Birtch was living. She recalled helping him set up a table and putting other items inside a small attic space that was concealed behind a wall and located off an upstairs bedroom.

Tapes 'were disturbing,' witness said

The court heard that an acquaintance of the woman reached out to her, warning that she'd heard audio recordings of Birtchbragging about spitting on and beating her in the attic over three days.

"She said they were disturbing," recalled the witness.

She said shetold the acquaintancewho had the tapes to send them to police, but never heard the recordings herself. The acquaintance who warned the womanabout the tapes can also not be identified by court order.

During her testimony on Friday, the womancouldn't recall any details about the alleged attic assault, but that she rememberedstaying over at the house and having to remain behind a computer monitor while Birtchjoined a council meetingvia video conference.

The woman said that at times,Birtch would turn off the monitor, use cocaine and return to the council meeting that was being held via video chat due to COVID-19 restrictions at the time.

'I'm too high get off me'

The woman testified Birtch raped her on the couch of her apartment onApril 5, 2022, after she took a car ride with him to Otterville, and that at the time she was too high and intoxicated to given consent.

"I remember being on the couch, being too inebriated to move, but I could still speak," she told the court. "I remember saying to him, 'I'm too high. Get off me. Stop.'"

The woman asked if she was motivated to go to police about the alleged assaults because Birtch was the mayor.

"Yes, because I'm the kind of person that if you are in a position like that, you need to respect and honour your position," she said. "All the things he was praised for, he was very different behind the scenes."

The woman's testimony is scheduled to continue on Friday afternoon with cross-examination by defencelawyer James Battin.

Birtch was convicted last month in a separate sexual assault case. He served two, four-year terms as Woodstock's mayor before he was defeated in the October 2022 election.

Support is available for anyone who has been sexually assaulted. You can access crisis lines and local support services through thisGovernment of Canada websiteor theEnding Violence Association of Canada database. If you're in immediate danger or fear for your safety or that of others around you, please call 911.