Daniel Greenhalgh says he remembers little about a night when he allegedly strip-searched and sexually assaulted an American woman.
"There’s not much to remember," Greenhalgh testified Monday in B.C. Supreme Court in New Westminster.
Greenhalgh, a former Canada Border Services Agency officer, is charged with three counts of sexual assault and one count of breach of trust by a public officer.
Greenhalgh said that, when he was interviewed by police about the events of the morning of May 26, 2007, he was unable to recall anything until he reviewed documents and watched video clips.
He said he remembers there were immigration concerns regarding the woman, who was coming to study in Canada.
He testified that in a typical night he did 15 secondary examinations and the one involving the woman was "a typical examination."
The woman alleges that Greenhalgh took her to a public washroom in Peace Arch Park, where he did an unauthorized strip-search and touched her sexually.
Surveillance video showed Greenhalgh and the woman crossing the road toward the park.
Greenhalgh said he was likely going to his car to get batteries for his flashlight or a Coke. He doesn’t recall seeing the woman at the crosswalk.
Joe McCarthy, Greenhalgh’s lawyer, asked him if he’d remember taking the woman to the bathroom, strip-searching and touching her. Greenhalgh said he would.
"Did you do so?" McCarthy asked.
"No," Greenhalgh replied.
Greenhalgh did remember dealing with the three other complainants as they came through the Douglas border crossing in April 2007.
He said the nights of April 13 and 14 were busy, but he recalls a vehicle pulling up to the primary booth and releasing an odour of marijuana when the window was lowered.
Greenhalgh said the man and two women in the vehicle were eventually turned back to the U.S.
The women allege Greenhalgh strip-searched them in a fenced picnic area. One woman said he touched her sexually.
Greenhalgh denied the allegations, and said he remembered that night because there was a drug seizure and he had to write a report.
The fourth complainant came through the border the next night. She alleges that Greenhalgh took her to a fenced construction area and strip-searched and touched her.
Greenhalgh said that night was "extremely busy" but he remembers dealing with the Canadian woman and her Norwegian friend because there were some unusual circumstances.
He remembered specifically talking to the Canadian, who he described as "evasive," "agitated" and "argumentative."
"[She] was an unusually difficult person to deal with," he said.
Greenhalgh also denies sexually assaulting and strip-searching the Canadian woman.
The trial continues.
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