Peter Nygard denied bail in appeal of Toronto sex crime convictions

Posted on October 8, 2024 by Peggy

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 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 around 2005.

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 public confidence in the administration of justice would be undermined if Nygard is released from custody.

Nygard was first arrested in Winnipeg in 2020 under the Extradition Act after he was charged with nine counts in New York, including sex trafficking and racketeering charges.

None of the criminal charges against Nygard in Quebec, Manitoba or the U.S. have been tested in court, and he has denied all allegations against him.