Bruises could be from sex

Photo: Nicholas Johansen

Jeremy Czechowski

Story contains graphic details that may not be suitable for all readers.

A man accused of violently raping a woman two years ago testified Thursday the alleged victim “never fought during sex, never said no during sex" and "she enjoyed herself.”

Jeremy Czechowski, 35, was cross examined by the Crown on his fifth day of trial on charges of sexual assault, unlawful confinement, attempting to choke, and uttering threats.

The incident took place in the early hours of Feb. 21, 2016, at a home on Wiig Road.

The victim, referred to as M to protect her identity, had been at Sapphire nightclub with her friend, B.

Czechowski said M showed up, jumped on his lap and starting flirting with him at the home.

When asked by Crown prosecutor Angela Ross if he thought this was alarming coming from a woman he had never met, he said: “That does not shock me, no.”

“Were you concerned she may not be quite with it?” asked Ross, to which Czechowski replied: "People act like that nowadays."

Czechowski later added he's "seen many girls act like this."

"This is a girl you never met before, never spoke to, and within minutes of coming into your house, you have torn her underwear off and asked her to go upstairs?” Ross asked.

Czechowski replied: “Apparently, (B) had told (M) all about me and made a good impression of me.”

Czechowski admitted Thursday he was holding M’s hands above her head with his hands while having sex.

“I was holding her hands very lightly with one hand,” he told Justice Kenneth Ball.

A Kelowna General Hospital doctor who performed an examination of M testified the bruising on her legs was consistent with legs that had been forced open, and bruising on her wrists was consistent with someone who had been restrained.

M also had bruising on the back of her neck, consistent with being restrained from behind, a goose egg on her head, bruising on her jaw line and collarbone, among other injuries.

When asked about bruises found on the inside of her left bicep, Czechowski said “it could have happened during sex, you place your hands in different areas.”

A West Kelowna RCMP officer found M just before 7 a.m., near Green Bay Road. She was disheveled, intoxicated and terrified.

The victim repeatedly told court on Feb. 15: “I never consented to anything with him, I did not give him consent to touch me."

The trial is expected to continue Friday.