Robin Wortman's relationship with teens went from 'creepy to criminal,' Crown says in closing arguments
Robin Wortman's drug-fuelled relationship with homeless teens more than 45 years younger than him went from "creepy to criminal," says prosecutor Shane Parker, arguing Wednesday the former Calgary Homeless Foundation board member should be found guilty of sexual assault.
Wortman was the final witness at his trial. He testified he never had sex with the teen he's accused of raping. He kept the date rape drug — which police found months later in his apartment — for recreational use, as is common in the gay community, he said in his testimony.
The alleged victim, who can't be named because of a publication ban on his identity, testified Monday he went to Wortman's apartment twice in November 2016. The building was across the street from Avenue 15, a shelter for homeless youth. On both occasions, the 18-year-old said, Wortman supplied the teen and three other young people with drugs.
On the first occasion, the teen said he suspected he'd been drugged and raped by Wortman because he blacked out and when he woke up, his "anal region was hurting." Five days later, the teen returned to Wortman's apartment building, where he says he was choked from behind and sexually assaulted.
Wortman said he was "to some extent" a father figure to the homeless teens who would come over for drugs.
"How in any definition were you a father figure?" asked Parker, who reminded the accused he had not only done hard street drugs with the teens, he had also supplied the meth.
'I was self-medicating'
Wortman broke down sobbing as he explained he'd gone from an occasional meth user to a more regular one when his mother was dying.
"I was self-medicating," he said through sobs. "It was just so hard."
In his closing arguments, defence lawyer Andre Ouellette said the alleged victim is an unreliable witness. He said even if provincial court Judge Heather Lamoureux doesn't believe Wortman, she should acquit him based on the complainant's testimony.
Wortman faces nine newer charges, which include making, distributing, possessing and accessing child pornography. A date for that trial has not yet been set.
On Tuesday, Parker stayed a charge of assault with a weapon in relation to another teen whose testimony set up an argument for self defence.
Lamoureux will deliver her decision next month.
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