‘I told him to stop:’ man on trial for alleged violent sexual assault in Nanaimo

He’s charged with one count of sexual assault in relation to an alleged incident on Jan. 31, 2023.

The opening day of the trial featured a recorded statement to police from the unnamed woman three days after the alleged incident, as well as testimony in court from the complainant.

She alleged Boychuk slapped her several times with forceful, open-handed strikes to the point she was knocked out twice.

The complainant told court the encounter was the first time they had met in person after having conversations on a dating app and then over social media.

A nearly 40-minute long video-recorded interview between the complainant and Nanaimo RCMP officer was played in court.

After saying he sent multiple pictures of his face to her while sitting in his car, the complainant told court Boychuck showed up at her home while she was there alone.

At that point she believes he said “You know why I’m here.”

She said he grabbed her arm, took her to her downstairs bedroom, and pushed her on the bed.

“He started kissing me and then he just started hitting me and he was like ‘Do you like that?’ and I said ‘No.’”

She reported seeing “black and stars” and was “out of it.”

The complainant told the Nanaimo Mountie she awoke undressed and with Boychuck on top of her, penetrating her vaginally.

“I was just screaming and crying I was saying ‘Stop this, get off of me!’

She said he hit her ”so many times” on both sides of her face and she was knocked out again.

The woman estimated the incident lasted between 30 and 60 minutes, but was unsure of the exact duration.

Pictures following the statement at the woman’s home were taken by the investigating officer, in which bruises throughout her body were apparent.

The complainant said Boychuk wasn’t wearing a condom and the non-consensual encounter included forced anal and oral penetration.

She heard her younger sister and a friend then came home, where the complainant told her sister it was a hook-up and not to tell anybody.

Before the complainant left, she reported rejecting his pleas for oral sex.

“He said fine and he hit me again, he spat in my face.”

After Boychuk drove off she said she returned to her room.

“I was like screaming and crying with how much pain I was in.”

Boychuk was arrested at his billet home without incident following the complainant’s statement to police.

She said she didn’t immediately go to police because she feared Boychuk, but was compelled to come forward after confiding with friends.

While on the stand sitting about 30 feet from her alleged attacker, she told Crown prosecutor Tania Holland she reported what happened to the Nanaimo Buccaneers coach the same day she went to police.

She told court she was originally excited about the idea of getting to know Boychuk.

“He seemed really kind, we talked about going out for Valentine’s Day and I was very excited.”

She was comforted in court by a social support worker.

The trial is expected to last about a week.

According to the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League website, Boychuk missed three games after the complainant approached the team and the Nanaimo RCMP.

Boychuk then finished the season with the Buccaneers and remained with the organization for a further 28 games during the most recent 2023/24 campaign before he was traded to the Kerry Park Islanders.

He has one year of junior hockey eligibility remaining.

NanaimoNewsNOW reached out to the Buccaneers organization to discern how the team responded to the allegations levelled against Boychuk.

The accused is from Edmonton, Alberta and is represented by Edmonton-based defence attorney Rory Ziv.

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Ian.holmes@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @reporterholmes

by Ian Holmes

‘I told him to stop:’ man on trial for alleged violent sexual assault in Nanaimo

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