Toronto Coun. Michael Thompson testifies in his own defence at sexual assault trial

The sexual assault trial of a Toronto city councillor continued Monday with Michael Thompson taking to the witness box for the first time, describing meeting a young woman who he would later invite to the Muskoka cottage where the alleged assaults took place.

The sitting Scarborough councillor and former deputy mayor is facing two counts of sexual assault for alleged incidents between him and two women at the cottage over the Canada Day weekend in 2022.

He has pleaded not guilty to both charges. 

Thompson told the courtroom he invited many friends to the cottage that weekend, including a young woman he had met at an art gallery not long before. The city councillor said he invited the woman to bring her brother, sister and mother, but they couldn't attend as they had prior plans.

The woman, who is not one of the two complainants, told Thompson "she'd love to go to the cottage," the city councillor testified. 

Meeting at an art gallery in mid-2022, Thompson said the Western University student approached him with a glass of wine in hand and introduced herself. Thompson said he was "excited" to hear where she went to school as his son was also a student there.

The pair spoke for about 20-25 minutes, Thompson said, during which she expressed an interest in the cultural sector, which he told her he had experience in as a city councillor.

They exchanged phone numbers before she left, and the woman said she would text him if she was going to be at a nearby bar after a birthday party she was attending, Thompson testified.

Earlier in the trial, court heard from the woman, who said it was Thompson who insisted she meet him at the bar later.

Thompson testified he offered to drive her, acknowledging in court that the trip was "out of the way," given he himself lived in Scarborough — the other side of the city. 

Asked why he offered her a ride, Thompson said, "It was late."

During the nearly hour-and-a-half drive, he said, she became emotional when talking about her personal challenges, including her father abandoning the family when she was young, as well as trouble finding work and paying her bills.

Before dropping her off, Thompson said he gave the woman two $50 bills to help pay for her cell phone, which she said was being disconnected because she couldn't afford to pay the bill.

"This is not unusual for me to do," Thompson testified. "This is something I naturally do, help someone."