Civilian trial begins for Canadian Forces soldier charged with sexual assault [Video]

The civilian sexual assault trial of a Canadian Forces soldier began Monday in a Barrie, Ont., courtroom, with the accuser taking the witness stand to describe an attack inside a broom closet on a military base. 

Cpl. Oleksii Silin is facing one charge of aggravated sexual assault and once charge of forcible confinement stemming from an alleged May 2018 incident at CFB Borden, a military base about 100 kilometres north of Toronto. 

Silin, 44, has pleaded not guilty and elected to be tried by judge alone. 

The Ontario Court of Justice trial, before Justice Robert Gattrell, is scheduled to run until Thursday. 

• Instructors quashed a sexual assault complaint against a soldier during basic training

Silin was charged after the alleged victim, Elle Jaszberenyi, filed for a private prosecution in October 2022 and the Crown’s office in Barrie agreed to take on the case.

Jaszberenyi, who was a soldier at the …