Peter Nygard denied bail pending appeal of his Toronto sex assault convictions

TORONTO — Former fashion mogul Peter Nygard has been denied bail as he appeals his sexual assault convictions in Toronto and an 11-year prison sentence.

An Ontario Court of Appeal judge dismissed the bail application, saying that Nygard’s appeal appears to be “weak” and that he presents a flight risk as he faces charges in other jurisdictions.

The 83-year-old Nygard was convicted of four counts of sexual assault last year after multiple women came forward with allegations dating from the 1980s until the mid-2000s.

The judge who presided over the trial said Nygard’s time behind bars would work out to a little less than seven years after accounting for time already spent in custody.

The notice of appeal Nygard’s lawyers filed in court last month argues that his sentence is “excessive” and that the trial judge made several errors, including admitting the testimony of clinical psychologist Lori Haskell on the effects of trauma.

In dismissing Nygard’s bail application, the Appeal Court judge also said that public confidence in the administration of justice would be undermined if Nygard is released from custody.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 8, 2024.

The Canadian Press