The woman at the centre of a sexual assault case involving a retired London high school teacher spent the entire day on the stand under heavy cross-examination from the defence. Lawyer Lakin Afolabi who represents the accused questioned the woman’s memory. She has testified that Murray MacDonald, now 68, sexually assaulted her in the mid-1980’s when he was her biology teacher and swim coach at Central Secondary School in downtown London. The woman who cannot be identified has told the court that the alleged incident took place when she was in grade 11 and they ran into each other at The Bavarian, a one-time bar located in Cherryhill Village Mall on Oxford Street West. She has testified that it happened when he drove her home, claiming that she was groped and forced to perform a sexual act in a dark parking lot. The court has heard about a troubled home life and that’s why she said, “I had no one to tell, no one at home to tell, no one at school.” She said that’s why she kept it to herself. She also testified about how MacDonald acted as a swim coach on the pool deck with comments to students about muscles and massaging, “I recall there was a feeling of inappropriate behaviour by him.” Afolabi questioned her about her memory, “If I suggest to you that those things didn’t happen?” She replied, “Those things did happen...I’m not fabricating anything.” When asked about the four decades that have passed before going to police she said, “I’ve had the same memories for 40 years.” MacDonald who has since retired as a teacher and principal, has plead not guilty to one count of sexual assault. The woman who is now in her mid-50s has since moved out of London. When she completed her testimony, the Crown wrapped up its case. The trial is now in the hands of the defence when the case resumes on Wednesday.
