By Canadian Press

Ex-PQ member LeBel told accuser he didn’t remember night of alleged sex assault

Nov 9, 2022 | 1:29 PM

QUEBEC — A jury has heard that a former Quebec provincial politician on trial for sexual assault sent his accuser an email saying he had no memory of the alleged events because he had drunk too much. 

Former Parti Québécois legislator Harold LeBel wrote in the 2020 email entered into evidence today that he woke up next to the woman and didn’t know why he was there.

He was replying to an email sent by the alleged victim in early 2020 accusing LeBel of sexually assaulting her in October 2017.

The woman, who cannot be identified, told the jury at the Rimouski, Que., courthouse that she tried for months to forget about the sexual assault and worried about the repercussions of coming forward with her allegations against the popular politician.

The complainant told the court that LeBel had three or four gin and tonics that night but didn’t seem intoxicated.

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LeBel, 60, has pleaded not guilty to one count of sexual assault.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 9, 2022.

The Canadian Press