FORMER SYNDICATED RADIO host Jian Ghomeshi has been charged with sexual assault after several women came forward with abuse allegations that led to his recent firing by Canada’s public broadcaster.
Ghomeshi, 47, turned himself in to face the charges — four counts of sexual assault and one of “overcome resistance —choking“, according to a Toronto police statement.
Following a brief court appearance in which he was granted bail, he said through his lawyer that he would plead not guilty.
Ghomeshi’s arrest came a day after he withdrew a Can$55 million lawsuit against the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation for wrongful dismissal.
Ghomeshi has argued that the sex was consensual “rough sex” of the kind found in erotic romance novels such as the best-seller “Fifty Shades of Grey.”
But CBC head of English programming Heather Conway characterized the acts as “inflicting an injury on another human being.”
Nine women
The initial accusations were made anonymously but since then, at least nine women have come forward with stories of being strangled, punched or slammed against walls by Ghomeshi.
The case triggered an uproar in Canada, leading to an urgent public debate on sexual violence in society, as well as a rise in the number of complaints — including by two parliamentarians against two fellow lawmakers.
Ghomeshi’s top-rated arts magazine radio show “Q” was heard across Canada and in more than 180 cities in the United States.
It remains on air with a series of different guest hosts.
The broadcaster became something of an international Youtube star five years ago when an awkward interview with actor Billy Bob Thornton went viral (below).
© AFP 2014 with additional reporting by Daragh Brophy.
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