The trial has begun in the disturbing case of a Whitby woman’s violent assault in July 2020. The incident left the victim, a 50-year-old woman, clinging to life after she was attacked while out for a walk. Her name is being protected as there is a publication ban in place
Anthony Doiron-Francis, also from Whitby, is facing charges, including attempted murder and aggravated sexual assault.
In court on Thursday, the judge was played three audio recordings: two of them of the suspect, another of an interaction between detectives and Doiron-Francis’s friend Tyler Cameron. In that conversation police were trying to ascertain what Cameron might know about the night in question.
In the recording, Cameron told police that Doiron visited him shortly after the incident, saying he felt remorse.
“I messed up, I shouldn’t have done this thing, man,” Cameron recounted to police about the conversation.
The detective was heard asking the friend if he remembered any details about what was said. Cameron said Doiron-Francis doesn’t need to be in jail.
“He needs help, not jail, he actually needs help,” Cameron said. “He needs someone to be there for him.”
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Although hesitant at first, Cameron slowly described what he was told and said Doiron-Francis looked translucent and he could see that his friend felt bad about what he did.
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“He was getting more into it, and said he was arguing with his uncle,” Cameron said. “He went outside, and they were walking and she was ahead and he just hit her.”
“He said she started screaming and stuff and wouldn’t stop,” Cameron described to police. “Someone was coming and she was screaming so he started hitting her and hitting her.”
The victim was out for a walk at the time of the incident on July 28, 2020. Police said officers found her near a creek southeast of the intersection of Taunton Road East and Anderson Street just before 10:30 a.m. the next day after she failed to return home at night.
Investigators said she was suffering from multiple, serious injuries “consistent with an assault.” She was flown to a Toronto trauma centre.
The victim suffered traumatic injuries and was in recovery for weeks after the incident.
At the time, an investigation was launched and Doiron-Francis was seen on several surveillance videos walking around the area. Police named him as a person of interest. He contacted detectives after he saw his name on the news. Those were the second and third recordings played in court on Thursday: a conversation with police before Doiron-Francis was taken into custody.
Detective Todd Dennis conducted the interview with the suspect. Doiron-Francis told the detective he was out for a walk when he was jumped by some men near a construction site and broke his hand during a fight. The suspect said he was out for twenty minutes. Dennis questioned his timeline.
“What if I told you I have video of you walking around the area,” he said.
“There is certainly video evidence to show you weren’t out for just twenty minutes, and you were in different areas then what you are telling me,” he said.
The court heard in the recording Detective Dennis questioning his story of an altercation the night in question.
When asked if it was with a female, Doiron-Francis replied, “No comment.”
Police announced the arrest of the suspect two weeks later after an extensive investigation.
The trial continues next Tuesday. Court is expected to hear from a doctor about the extent of the victim’s injuries.
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