The trial for a Saskatoon nightclub owner charged with sexual assault began with testimony from a man accusing Skipp Edward Anderson of sexually assaulting him during a gathering of close friends.
Anderson, 40, has pleaded not guilty to one count of sexual assault against the then 22-year-old man, who cannot be identified under a routine publication ban. Anderson owns Pink Lounge & Nightclub — a prominent gay bar in Saskatoon.
The complainant testified Monday in Saskatoon’s Court of Queen’s Bench that on July 10 a group of friends that hung out a few times a week went to a movie then to Anderson’s home to hot tub and drink alcohol. He said he split a pitcher of beer with a friend and drank a double cocktail at the movie theatre before drinking two run and cokes served to him by Anderson at Anderson’s home.
The jury heard the complainant, who at times worked coat check at Pink, became overly intoxicated before Anderson carried him into a spare bedroom.
Clayton McNally, who also testified, told court he doesn’t drink alcohol and said he’d never seen the complainant that intoxicated before.
“He couldn’t even sit in the hot tub. He was like face-first floating,” McNally testified.
McNally said he went into the bedroom to check on the complainant, who was passed out on the bed with swimming trunks on before he left around 12:30 a.m.
The complainant said he blacked out and the last thing he remembers is being in the hot tub until he woke up at about 3:30 a.m. to Anderson sexually assaulting him.
“I remember I was lying on my side and Skipp was engaging in sexual intercourse with me,” he told the jury. “I wasn’t really sure what to do at the time and I let it happen.”
The complainant said after couple minutes he asked Anderson to stop, which he did immediately.
“I was confused — didn’t know how it started, how I got there. (I was) a little embarrassed,” the complainant said.
The jury heard he went outside and called and texted McNally, who didn’t respond. He said he cried and Anderson consoled him before the two went back in the home and slept.
Court heard Anderson drove him home the next day.
The complainant said he felt “disconnected” while processing what happened at school. Later in the day, McNally drove him to the police station to file a statement and get a rape kit performed at a hospital. McNally testified the complainant was upset and crying.
Under cross examination, the complainant said he doesn't remember if he initiated sex with Anderson. He said he doesn’t recall kissing, touching and fondling Anderson in the hot tub and in the bedroom, but it’s possible he could have.
While the complainant said he doesn’t remember some details that happened that evening, he said he was too intoxicated to consent to having sex.
“I was in no state to consent,” he said.
McNally testified he and Anderson discussed striking a deal with the complainant before Anderson was charged. They discussed offering him $5,000 to $30,000 and not banning him from Pink in exchange for the complainant to not cooperate with police.
The complainant said he wasn’t offered a specific amount of money, but refused the deal.
McNally said he thought it was a “great idea” because Anderson hadn’t been charged and the complainant had student loans.
“Make it all go away and they could all be friends again,” McNally said.
McNally said a contract was drawn up but never shown to the complainant. However, the complainant said he saw a piece of paper with Anderson’s signature on it shown to him by McNally.
The trial is scheduled to last all week.
