Former Woodstock mayor outlines difficult relationship at sexual assault trial

The former mayor of Woodstock wrapped up his testimony at his sexual assault trial on Wednesday, continuing to say that he never did anything inappropriate with a woman that he had been seeing.

In a recorded interview at London police headquarters, Trevor Birtch, 49, said that this was a case of, “A woman scorned.”

Under cross-examination, Crown Attorney Artem Orlov suggested that Birtch was trying to make the female complainant seem clingy or irrational and he responded, “The nature of our relationship was something that was not exclusive.”

He continued, “We broke up several times and I was hoping it would be fine and go away.”

As for the charges he faces, the Crown suggested that Birtch, who was separating from his wife at the time, was also under a lot of stress as mayor and that he just snapped. But he responded, “I disagree with that.”

The court also heard that on occasion, Birtch paid for the woman’s rent, car repairs, and even bought her jewellery.

Birtch faces two counts of sexual assault and one count of assault stemming back to 2021. He has pleaded not guilty.

The last person to testify at the trial was Birtch’s son Ben, who was living with him at the time of the allegations.

The 18 year old recalled the night when the woman came to the house for the last time in December of 2021. He said, “I went to sleep and got woken up by my father yelling, ‘Get out.’”

There, younger Birtch testified that he went upstairs and then, “I tell her to get out…she’s hiding behind the TV, then I escort her out the door.”

Closing arguments from the Crown and the defence are expected to be heard on Thursday.