Yellowknife (Jan 19/05) - A territorial court judge is expected to announce this morning a verdict in the fate of former MLA Roger Allen, following two days of testimony in one of the most sensational sexual assault trials in recent history.

Former MLA Roger Allen could face jail time if convicted of sexual assault

Allen, who has no previous criminal record, could face a maximum of 18 months in jail if convicted.

The proceedings began Monday morning in a Yellowknife courtroom, where a woman accused Allen of grabbing her breasts and genitals during an encounter in an Inuvik hotel room on May 19, 2004.

"He wouldn't stop. I said 'No, Roger, no'," the woman testified. "He was totally engrossed in what he was doing. There was no way he was going to stop."

Allen is a former MLA for the Inuvik district of Twin Lakes and a one-time Minister of Justice. He has steadfastly maintained his innocence since being charged in August 2004.

A married father of three, he testified that the encounter was consensual - an assertion he maintained under heavy cross examination from Crown attorney Jonathan Burke, Tuesday morning.

"She did not object," said Allen, who admitted to kissing the woman and fondling her breasts, but denied touching her below the waist.

"We both felt an attraction to each other," he said.

The woman testified she first met Allen in January 2000 through work.

During testimony, she described him as "wonderful, nice and considerate."

The two developed a friendship and Allen even offered to use his sway as minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation to help the woman buy a home, she testified. Allen maintained the offer did not violate government protocols.

As time passed, the woman said she became suspicious of Allen's motives.

"He was trying to come onto me," she said.

"He wanted to hug me and kiss me. I just wasn't comfortable."

The woman said she formally asked Allen to stop his advances in the spring of 2004.

"I said: You can't be doing stuff like this. You are a married man. It has got to stop," she said on the witness stand.

Allen painted a different picture of the relationship during his testimony. Allen said he considered the woman a friend and frequently offered to help her with rent and medical payments.

While being questioned by his lawyer, Allen said the pair had a two year "liaison," but he stopped short of saying they were involved in a sexual relationship.

After assurances the romantic overtures would end, the woman reluctantly agreed to accompany Allen on a trip to Inuvik in May, she testified.

Using his government credit card, Allen checked the woman into the Eskimo Inn on May 19 and helped her bring her suitcases to a second floor room, she said.

It was in that room where the woman said she was assaulted.

The woman said she repeatedly asked Allen to stop and the attack only ended when the phone rang.

Allen testified the woman was a willing participant - "her body was responding," he said - and the encounter ended when she said "Okay, that's enough."

"Knowing the rule of law, I ceased immediately," Allen said.

Allen spent most of the trial taking notes and occasionally glancing up at the witness stand.

Monday's testimony also suggested Allen was feeling the heat from a questionable housing claim he made in the spring of 2004.

At the time, Allen claimed to live in a remote shack about 20 km outside of Inuvik in order to qualify for a government housing allowance.

The claim was ultimately rejected by a government oversight committee and Allen was ordered to repay nearly $10,000.

Allen testified he planned to stay at the cabin during the May trip because "questions had been raised" about his residency.

His accuser said he decided to forgo spending even one night at the cabin because of cold weather.

Testimony Monday also portrayed Allen as somewhat despondent after losing the justice portfolio when cabinet was reshuffled following the 2003 territorial election.

"When he became an ordinary MLA, he was different," the woman said. "He was not happy with the MLAs."

Allen also admitted he was disappointed in the decision and said he even entertained thoughts of vying for the Premier's position.