Publication date: July 19, 2022 • 13 hours ago • 3 minutes read Former Vancouver Canucks winger Jake Virtanen arrives for his arraignment Tuesday with his lawyer, Brock Martland. Photo by NICK PROCAYLO /PNG

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A woman who says she was sexually assaulted by former Vancouver Canuck Jake Virtanen testified Tuesday that several months before the alleged incident, she was interested in him and wanted to pursue him.

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The complainant’s statement, which cannot be identified due to a publication ban, came during cross-examination by defense lawyer Brock Martland and on the second day of Virtanen’s jury trial in BC Supreme Court in Vancouver. The complainant alleges the former right-hander sexually assaulted her in his Vancouver hotel room on September 26, 2017, while he was still on the NHL team’s roster. Virtanen, 25, has pleaded not guilty to the offence. Court heard the two first met at the Calgary Stampede several months before meeting at the Westin Bayshore Hotel. Defense counsel played a short video showing Virtanen, who was drunk, vomiting into a silver bowl held by the complainant in a Calgary home.

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Former Vancouver Canucks winger Jake Virtanen arrives at the BC Supreme Court for his sexual assault trial with lawyer Brock Martland in Vancouver, BC on July 19, 2022. Photo: NICK PROCAYLO /PNG The complainant testified that she was trying to be nice to Virtanen, who was so drunk that he peed in his pants. “I’m going to suggest that you knew he was an NHL player and you’re reaching out to him because you’re interested in him,” Martland said. “No,” the complainant replied. The complainant, who testified that she was not attracted to Virtanen earlier in the evening, was asked why she was attracted to him the next morning. “Help me understand how this could be,” said Martland. “This is a guy who is drunk off the scale, buzzing, peeing himself. A few hours later, after sleeping, how does he magically become attractive in the morning?’ “I talked to him. He was charming to me,” the complainant replied.

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Martland asked her about the kiss with the NHL player that morning. “He kissed me, but yes, I kissed him back,” she replied. “And you exchanged numbers,” Martland said. “Yes,” she replied. “That’s what you’re after, isn’t it?” Martland said. “I don’t believe it,” said the complainant. “Sorry, my mistake. I want to meet him. So yes, I agree that I want to chase him.” Former Vancouver Canucks winger Jake Virtanen arrives at the BC Supreme Court for his sexual assault trial in Vancouver, BC on July 19, 2022. Nick Procaylo. Photo by NICK PROCAYLO /PNG Martland questioned the complainant about her decision to allow Virtanen to pick her up from a friend’s house in the Vancouver area and drive her to his hotel room where the alleged sexual assault took place. The complainant, who was 18 at the time of the alleged sexual assault, had testified that she knew Virtanen lived in Abbotsford and said that if she had known he was staying in a hotel room, she would not have gone with him.

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She denied a suggestion by Martland that when Virtanen picked her up, after traveling from her residence in a small town in the interior of BC, she hoped it would develop into a more lasting relationship and that he would become her boyfriend. On direct examination, she testified that she had a sinking feeling in her stomach when they arrived at the hotel, but Martland suggested that there were many options available to her other than her decision to follow him to the hotel and to his room, including taking a ride to sea ​​wall and go to a restaurant. “Are you very worried that you were in a really difficult situation?” Martland said. “Yes,” said the complainant. “Why not take steps to prevent yourself from entering?” Martland said. “Because I didn’t know what to do,” the complainant said. He denied that there was any agreement with Virtanen to have sex with him that night at the hotel. “I went with him because I felt pressured,” he said. Cross-examination of the complainant is expected to continue on Wednesday. [email protected] twitter.com/keithrfraser

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