Ontario court says it won’t review decision to deny Peter Nygard bail

An Ontario court has upheld the decision to deny bail for Peter Nygard as he appeals his sexual assault convictions and sentence. The Court of Appeal for Ontario judge stated that the previous judge who denied Nygard’s bail application did not make any errors in their assessment of the case, and therefore, a review would not be warranted.

Nygard’s legal team had argued that the bail judge did not properly consider a new medical report and misunderstood the bail plan proposed by Nygard. They also claimed that the judge did not recognize the strength of one of the grounds for appeal related to expert testimony on trauma.

However, the bail judge found that Nygard’s appeal seemed weak and that he had a higher risk of fleeing due to facing charges in other jurisdictions. Nygard, 83, was convicted of four counts of sexual assault last year and sentenced to nearly seven years in prison. His legal team is challenging both the conviction and sentence, citing errors made by the trial judge.

During the bail application hearing, Nygard’s lawyers presented a new medical report that they claimed had not been available during the sentencing process. The Appeal Court Justice found that the report heavily relied on self-reported information and that Nygard’s health had been taken into account during sentencing.

The judge also raised concerns about Nygard’s proposed bail plan, which involved living in a Winnipeg home owned by one of his employees. Nygard’s lawyers argued that the judge misunderstood the proposal, but the court ruled that the focus should be on whether Nygard would surrender himself into custody if released on bail.

Ultimately, the bail judge determined that releasing Nygard pending appeal would undermine public confidence in the administration of justice. Despite the arguments made by Nygard’s legal team, the court found no errors in the judge’s assessment of the case.

In conclusion, Nygard will remain in custody as he continues to appeal his convictions and sentence. The court’s decision to deny bail has been upheld, and Nygard’s legal team will need to continue their efforts to secure his release during the appeal process.