The trial began Monday in B.C. Supreme Court for former Vancouver Canucks forward Jake Virtanen.
He is charged with one count of sexual assault following an investigation into an incident that occurred on Sept. 26, 2017.
The Abbotsford, B.C., native was playing for the Canucks at the time.
In May 2021, Vancouver police launched an investigation after a 23-year-old woman filed a complaint. She was 18 years old at the time of the alleged incident.
She took the stand Monday, saying she and Virtanen first met at the Calgary Stampede in July of 2017, roughly two months before the alleged incident.
The complainant, who cannot be identified, grew up in a small town in B.C.’s interior. She now lives in Victoria.
Her partner of about five years sat beside her for support as she testified.
Following the launch of the investigation, the Canucks placed Virtanen on leave and his contract was bought out the following month.
He last played for Spartak Moscow in the Russian-based KHL.
Virtanen was selected sixth overall by Vancouver in the 2014 NHL draft and played 317 regular-season games for the Canucks, registering 55 goals and 100 points.
The trial is expected to last a week.
The defence will not say at this time if Virtanen is expected to testify in court. He has pleaded not guilty.
On Tuesday, Virtanen’s accuser is set to be cross-examined by the defence.
Ravi Hira, a partner at the law firm of Hira Rowan, LLP, who is not involved in the case, said when there is a complaint about sexual assault and the issue of consent is key, the prosecution will be looking for evidence that the complainant did not consent. The defence will be looking for any corroboration between the two parties involved.
“Corroboration is very very necessary in my view in order to make sure you don’t have wrongful convictions,” Hira said.
“In cases where the issue is consent, or no consent, or a mistake as to consent, they are difficult to prove beyond a reasonable doubt and again, that is why corroboration is so important – injuries, text messages, a conversation with somebody else. That, if I were prosecuting, would be very helpful.”
— with files from The Canadian Press