Former military leader Haydn Edmundson takes witness stand in sexual assault trial

OTTAWA — Retired vice admiral Haydn Edmundson is taking the stand in his own defence at his sexual assault trial in Ottawa.

Last week, court heard at length from the woman who accuses Edmundson of sexually assaulting her on board a navy ship in 1991.

She testified that she felt frozen and unable to leave when Edmundson called her into his sleeping quarters the night of the assault.

The Crown’s case was dealt a blow Thursday during a withering cross-examination of a key witness who had corroborated the woman’s version of events. 

Edmundson’s defense lawyer, Brian Greenspan, introduced a transcript of an interview the witness did with the CBC before she went to police.

In that interview, the CBC reporter appeared to disclose to the witness a number of important details about the accuser’s story. 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 12, 2024.

The Canadian Press