WARNING: This story contains graphic and disturbing content. Discretion is advised.
A man accused of drugging, sexually assaulting and beating a woman during an 11-hour ordeal in a Calgary hotel room in 2017 has been found guilty on all four counts laid against him.
Vasilios “Billy” Georgopolus, 39, was on trial for sexual assault causing bodily harm, assault with a weapon, unlawful confinement and uttering threats.
Georgopoulos shook his head, glancing over at his girlfriend in the gallery as the judge read the verdict.
In rendering his decision on Tuesday, Court of Queen’s Bench Justice Alan Macleod stated that the victim had given her testimony in a very believable way.
The 49-year-old woman, whose identity is protected by a publication ban and who can only be referred to as Rachel, met Georgopoulos online.
The two agreed to meet in person at a downtown hotel on Oct. 4, 2017, while Rachel — who lived in Innisfail at the time — was visiting her mother in Calgary.
The woman testified during the trial that what started out as consensual sex turned violent when Georgopoulos punched her.
Over the next 11 hours, she said he raped her vaginally and anally — even burning her at one point — and threatened to kill her while holding her against her will.
Eventually, the woman was able to escape to the hotel lobby and took a cab back to her mother’s apartment where she called police.
Georgopoulos, who took the stand during the trial, claimed the sex had been consensual — but the judge rejected that.
Macleod said he believed the victim’s injuries occurred as she described.
“Consent was vitiated when violence occurred,” Macleod said.
The judge ordered Georgopoulos to be remanded into custody after the verdict.
His lawyer, Dale Fedorchuk, had requested his client be allowed to remain out on bail pending sentencing so that he could get his affairs in order.
The Crown prosecutor successfully argued that would undermine public confidence in the legal system since Georgopoulos had now been convicted.
The 39-year-old has a history of violence. He was sentenced to 30 days in jail for assault in connection with a 2015 homicide at a Red Deer bar.
Georgopoulos is also currently being monitored by the Calgary Police Service’s high-risk offender program.
His lawyer said he intends to appeal his conviction.
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