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Accuser predicts Rob Ford will 'own up' to groping allegation

The woman who has accused Toronto Mayor Rob Ford of behaving inappropriately at a public event believes he will "eventually own up" to the allegations, despite the fact that he is adamant they are "not true."

Sarah Thomson, a former mayoral candidate, released a statement to media on Sunday evening, following remarks Ford made earlier in the day, in which he again denied allegations that he inappropriately touched her at a public event last Thursday.

Summarizing the events of the past three days, Thomson said that she had written a Facebook post on Friday morning alleging that Ford "made suggestive comments" and "groped" her at a Canadian Jewish Political Affairs Committee event the night before.

"Since then, the Mayor, his supporters and conservative media agencies have denied my claims, impugned my character and attacked my credibility," Thomson said in her statement on Sunday.

"I did not make these accusations lightly. I admit I did not handle the press perfectly, but I had just gone through a very rattling experience."

Her statement came several hours after the mayor spoke briefly about the situation on his weekly radio show that is broadcast on Newstalk 1010.

"I don't even want to waste my time anymore on this. This was not true," Ford said Sunday, noting that he posed for many photos that same evening but no other issues were reported.

The mayor also said that "when people want to make up stories, that's their prerogative and [I’ll] leave it at that."

During the same radio broadcast, Ford also said: "In my personal opinion, I’ve always said, I don’t know if she’s playing with a full deck from the first time I met her and I told her that that night."

Thomson made specific reference to this phrase in her statement.

"Decades ago powerful men who sexually assaulted women would call them 'hysterical,' or 'crazy' to debase their credibility. It pushed many assaulted women into silence," Thomson said.

"Today Mayor Ford stated that he wondered if I was 'playing with a full deck' try to discredit me. He will not push me into silence and I hope his accusations do not re-ignite the old fears that once silenced women."

When Thomson’s allegations were raised on Friday, the mayor immediately rejected them.

"I am shocked, dismayed and surprised. I can say without hesitation that they are absolutely, completely false," he said in a statement released Friday.