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Sex assault trial underway for former political candidate known for crazy video

Wyatt Scott of Mission accused of inappropriately touching a female employee

A former employee of Mission’s Wyatt Scott, who made headlines for an outlandish video during the 2015 federal election campaign, testified in court this week that he made unwanted sexual advances to her that included rubbing his body against hers and making suggestive comments.

But Scott’s lawyer, in cross-examining the complainant, painted a picture of a mutually flirtatious relationship in which Scott felt the complainant was open to his advances.

Scott, 40, was charged in March 2016 with one count of sexual assault, allegedly occurring between November 2014 and April 2015 at the Mission rock-and-gem business he and his wife own.

Scott is best known for releasing a YouTube video in 2015, when he was running as an independent federal election candidate in the Mission-Matsqui-Fraser Canyon riding won by Jati Sidhu.

The video depicted Scott riding a Canada goose, slaying a dragon, fist-bumping an alien and shooting laser beams out of his eyes.

Scott’s trial began Monday in Abbotsford provincial court.

His former employee, whose name is protected under a publication ban, testified that she began working for Scott in November 2014, when she was 20 years old, and they developed a friendly working relationship over the next few months.

But she said she became increasingly uncomfortable with his behaviour.

“It started out with just comments being made that, to me, were inappropriate,” she said.

For example, she said if she wanted to purchase a store product and asked Scott how much it was, he would reply, “Just two minutes of your time.”

On another occasion, she said Scott showed her a picture on his phone that was apparently of a note from his wife, giving him permission to have a mistress.

The woman said the behaviour escalated to physical touching. She said if she was working at the front counter, Scott would walk behind her and press up against her, even though there was room for him to get by without touching her.

On another occasion, she said Scott called her into the back room and asked her to sit down. He then pulled her chair towards him so her knee was between his legs.

In the final incident, the woman was leaning up against a desk when she said Scott approached her, took her hands in his, stretched her arms out and pressed his body against hers.

She said she pushed her hands away from him and wiggled free.

The woman said she then told Scott’s wife about the incident, and she was fired. She then filed a police report in July 2015.

In cross-examining the woman, defence lawyer Alexis Falk asked her about whether she remembered specific incidents in which she hugged Scott, massaged his shoulders, kissed him on the cheek, slapped him on his bottom, and jumped on him and wrapped her arms and legs around him.

The complainant often replied that she didn’t remember specific incidents, but that she and her co-workers often exhibited those behaviours with one another.

“We were all a huggy bunch,” she said.

Falk also suggested during her questioning that the woman was fired not because she told Scott’s wife about the alleged incidents, but because the shop was struggling financially. Two others were fired the same day, Falk pointed out.

Falk also suggested that the woman often flirted with Scott, but she denied the claim.

“I’m a very happy, friendly person. It all depends on how someone else sees it,” she said.

The trial is expected to end today (Wednesday), and it’s not yet know when the judge’s verdict will be rendered.



Vikki Hopes

About the Author: Vikki Hopes

I have been a journalist for almost 40 years, and have been at the Abbotsford News since 1991.
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