Former Canadian navy officer found guilty of sexual assault aboard historic navy tall ship
A retired Canadian navy officer has been found guilty of assault, sexual assault and uttering threats against a young female cadet aboard a navy sailboat more than a decade and a half ago.
The charges against former petty officer first class James R. Levesque stemmed from a 2006 sailing of HMCS Oriole, a historic training vessel that serves double-duty as a showpiece of the navy on its summer voyages along Canada's coastlines.
The victim, who cannot be identified under a court-imposed publication ban, testified at a court martial hearing in Victoria that Levesque, a senior non-commissioned officer, repeatedly groped her and physically assaulted her, once leaving bruises on her arms, during the ship's journey that summer from southern Vancouver Island to Alaska.
He later threatened to have sex with her and leave further bruising on her body, despite her protests, the court heard.
The incidents left the cadet with a lingering fear of sailing and an inability to sleep aboard vessels, a significant hindrance to her future career in the navy, she said.
Levesque denied the allegations, pleading not guilty to all three charges.
'TERRORIZING' TWO MONTHS
There were no eyewitnesses to the assaults or threats, the court heard, while the defence provided testimony from fellow sailors who said the incidents were never relayed up the ship's chain of command.
The prosecution did provide testimony from another woman who was among the vessel's 24-person crew that summer. She testified that the victim confided in her about the assaults and threats, saying the two of them would later coordinate their excursions ashore during port visits so the victim would not be alone, fearing for her safety.
The witness also testified that some of the male sailors refused to accompany the victim ashore because they would "get dirty looks" from passersby due to the significant bruising on her arms.
The victim testified that the assaults made her feel "scared and really worthless," and said that a senior officer discouraged her from reporting the incidents to police.
The court was shown more than 100 photos taken aboard the ship between June 1 and July 31, 2006. The photos depicted a party atmosphere on the 31-metre ship that summer, with shirtless male sailors drinking tequila and, in another photo, exposing their bare buttocks during a beach visit.
But the prosecution described a "terrorizing" two months for the victim aboard the Oriole, the oldest vessel in the Royal Canadian Navy, now based out of Halifax.
"I was so excited when I first got to the ship," the victim told the court, adding that she "wasn't the same again" when the ship arrived back in Esquimalt.
The guilty verdict landed on the eve of a highly anticipated report into sex offences in the Canadian Armed Forces, in which a retired Supreme Court justice urged the military to hand over the prosecution of sex crimes in its ranks to the civilian court system.
Levesque will be sentenced during a hearing scheduled to begin on July 9.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
B.C. tenants evicted for landlord's use after refusing large rent increase to take over neighbouring suite
Ashley Dickey and her mother rented part of the same Coquitlam duplex in three different decades under three different landlords.
Mountain guide dies after falling into a crevasse in Banff National Park
A man who fell into a crevasse while leading a backcountry ski group deep in the Canadian Rockies has died.
Expert warns of food consumption habits amid rising prices
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
MPP Sarah Jama asked to leave Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
MPP Sarah Jama was asked to leave the Legislative Assembly of Ontario by House Speaker Ted Arnott on Thursday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment which has been banned at Queen’s Park.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
Ex-tabloid publisher testifies he scooped up possibly damaging tales to shield his old friend Trump
As Donald Trump was running for president in 2016, his old friend at the National Enquirer was scooping up potentially damaging stories about the candidate and paying out tens of thousands of dollars to keep them from the public eye.
Here's why provinces aren't following Saskatchewan's lead on the carbon tax home heating fight
After Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the federal government would still send Canada Carbon Rebate cheques to Saskatchewan residents, despite Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe's decision to stop collecting the carbon tax on natural gas or home heating, questions were raised about whether other provinces would follow suit. CTV News reached out across the country and here's what we found out.
Montreal actress calls Weinstein ruling 'discouraging' but not surprising
A Montreal actress, who has previously detailed incidents she had with disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, says a New York Court of Appeals decision overturning his 2020 rape conviction is 'discouraging' but not surprising.
Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye make it four NFL drafts with quarterbacks going 1-3
Caleb Williams is heading to the Windy City, aiming to become the franchise quarterback Chicago has sought for decades.