McGill player is victim of assault: lawyer

• The lawyer for a star McGill University football player charged in an alleged case of domestic violence says his client was the victim and not the aggressor.

Luis-Andres-Guimont-Mota, 22, appeared in a Montreal court on Thursday on charges of assault and uttering threats against his estranged wife. He was released on $300 bail and a host of conditions.

The third-year business management student and starting running back was arrested at a downtown apartment on Wednesday morning.

By late evening, McGill said the player had been suspended as per the university’s varsity athletics guidelines.

“What’s particular in this case is my client is the victim and not the aggressor, contrary to the cases in the United States,” said defence lawyer Steve Hanafi, referring to a spate of domestic violence cases involving National Football League players.

Mr. Hanafi said the university was too hasty in suspending Mr. Guimont-Mota from the football team and that he and his client would challenge the decision.

“I think they acted too fast just to protect their image and they don’t know the facts,” he told reporters outside the courtroom.

The university said the deputy provost’s office for student life and learning will investigate and take any measures deemed appropriate.

Mr. Hanafi said Mr. Guimont-Mota is considering filing a cross-complaint against his estranged wife, the alleged victim.

His parents were in court on Thursday and Mr. GuimontMota’s father offered a surety of $750 in addition to the bail.

The family didn’t speak to reporters.

Mr. Guimont-Mota and his estranged wife were married in 2012, but are now considering a divorce, the lawyer said.

Mr. Hanafi said the alleged victim told Mr. GuimontMota’s mother she’d struck him in the face.

“For the moment, we’re faced with two contradictory versions [of what happened],” Mr. Hanafi said. “She says he pushed her and my client says something else and we have leads that suggest he may be the victim.”