COURT SHOWN ACCUSED’S STATEMENT IN SEX ASSAULT TRIAL

Elmer Franklin Weeks told police he knew what happened but couldn’t say anything

A P.E.I. farmer who was on trial for allegedly sexually assaulting a woman in his kitchen told police he knew what happened but couldn’t tell them.

Elmer Franklin Weeks, 68, appeared before Chief Judge Nancy Orr in provincial court in Charlottetown last week for the second day of his trial on a sexual assault charge.

During the proceedings, Crown attorney Nathan Beck played video of a statement Weeks gave to the RCMP on the night of his arrest.

In the video, Weeks told an officer he knew what happened, but said it was nothing serious.

“She must have a different story than I have,” Weeks said.

Last month, the complainant testified she was sitting at the kitchen table in Weeks’s home when he held her down and put his hands down her shirt.

She told the court Weeks touched different parts of her body, including her breasts, thighs and vaginal area through her pants.

Beck played the video of the police interview in rebuttal to evidence from several defence witnesses who testified Friday that they saw Weeks the day of the alleged assault.

The Crown and the police weren’t notified prior to their testimony and Beck said he would characterize it as alibi evidence, which the defence has an obligation to tell them about.

On the video, Weeks told the officer he couldn’t say anything about what happened, although he later said he was home for about five minutes while the victim was there.

Weeks told the officer he knew what happened but couldn’t tell him.

At one point, the officer asked Weeks if he did something wrong and later asked if what happened was as bad as what the complainant said.

Weeks answered no in response to both questions.

The matter will be back before the court Aug. 23 for Orr to give her decision.

A publication ban prevents the release of any details that could identify the alleged victim.