Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Canadian man accused of rape says his penis is too small and his stomach too big to be guilty

Defendant's lawyer claims physical characteristics prove he is innocent

Benjamin Kentish
Monday 10 October 2016 17:46 BST
Comments
(iStock)

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

A Canadian man accused of rape has claimed he must be innocent – because his stomach is too large and his penis “way, way too small”.

Jacques Rouschop’s lawyer told an Ottawa court her client could not be guilty of charges that he raped and choked two sex workers - because he has a hernia that “makes it too painful to have sex from behind, his stomach is too large and his penis is way, way too small”.

She called as a defence witness a registered nurse who confirmed she had taken Rouschop’s measurements. The nurse testified that he has a 66-inch waist, 31-inch thighs and a one-inch penis that measures approximately two inches when erect.

His weight could not be confirmed because the scales at the jail where he is being held do not go high enough, the Ottawa Citizen reports.

The jury were shown naked pictures of Rouschop, who sat still in the dock as his measurements were read out in court.

The alleged victims testified that Rouschop had brutally attacked and choked him until they passed out in the backseat of his pick-up truck while parked in an industrial park in 2013.

One of the women told the court she felt “hopeless and scared” during the alleged attack, adding: “I couldn’t breathe. I was trying to get free but I couldn’t…I thought I was going to die.”

The defendant has a long criminal record and was described as a "career thief". His lawyer, Natasha Calvinho, told the jury: “He is not a perfect man. He has made mistakes. He has committed crimes. He has spent time in jail and has a significant criminal record.”

But she argued it was physically impossible that he had committed the brutal crimes.

Ms Calvinho added: “Due to his weight - around 400 pounds at the time - and his appearance, he will be the first to tell you that he has had a lot of trouble attracting members of the opposite sex, and that getting a woman’s attention, let alone having sex, was not something that happened very often for him."

“Despite his lack of physical attractiveness, he still had needs — sexual needs. And he turned to the services of sex trade workers.”

The lawyer suggested her client cared about one of the sex workers he is alleged to have attacked.

She said: “He cared for her. He brought her to his home for sleepovers and dinners with his mum.”

The trial continues.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in