On the final day of testimony during a trial where the is accused of sexual assault, Joseph Yaremko took the stand in his own defence.
His ankles were shackled as he walked to the stand and told court the interaction he had with the woman accusing him of sexual assault was consensual.
Yaremko testified that he knew the woman before the alleged assault because he sold her drugs on several occasions.
He said he ran a dial-a-dope operation where he sold methamphetamine and that he also used the drug.
Yaremko noted he had sold drugs to another woman who lived in the Stonebridge apartment building.
He testified as to how he sold drugs to the other woman on the morning of June 3, 2019, and she drove him around as he dropped off drugs at a number of homes before going back to her condo.
The 39-year-old man noted that once he exited her unit and saw police, he did his best to avoid them because he knew there were warrants for his arrest.
Those warrants were from Craik RCMP.
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Yaremko said the other woman told him which unit the complainant lived in and that he rushed there.
The alleged victim was 21 at the time of the interaction.
She can’t be named because of a publication ban.
He said the alleged victim allowed him into her home after he said he had drugs.
He went on to say they used meth, watched pornography and engaged in sexual activity.
Yaremko’s description of which sex acts took place differ to the woman’s testimony, which took place on Sept. 27.
When she took the stand, she said she didn’t consent to Yaremko’s advances.
During cross-examination, the Crown prosecutor brought up Yaremko’s five-page criminal record.
He noted that Yaremko had 104 convictions.
One of those convictions was for assaulting an employee at the Regional Psychiatric Centre while undergoing testing for this trial.
He was sentenced to three years behind bars for that offence.
Both sides have closed their case, but by the time Yaremko’s testimony was over, it was 8:19 p.m. on Oct. 1.
The trial was only scheduled for a week ending on Oct. 1.
The trial has seen several delays because of issues with Yaremko not having access to medication, which held up the trial on Sept. 28 and wanting to have access to clean clothes and a chance to shave on Sept. 30.
The judge has scheduled Nov. 2 for both lawyers to make closing arguments.
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