WARNING: This article contains details about a criminal sexual assault trial and may be disturbing to some readers. If you or someone you know has been impacted by sexual violence, contact the 24-hour Sexual Assault Support Crisis line at 1-877-954-6242 or the RCMP.

A First Nations traditional 香蕉视频直播渘ative healer香蕉视频直播� from the Fort Williams area charged with sexually assaulting six patients will have his fate determined by a jury of his peers at the Penticton courthouse.

is on trial before a judge and jury with six counts of sexual assault after six different women accused him of inappropriate touching during traditional healing 香蕉视频直播渟essions香蕉视频直播� in October of 2022.

The incidents allegedly took place over a four-day period.

A contingent of about 20 First Nation residents gathered inside the courthouse to hear evidence in the trial which began Wednesday in Penticton.

When court broke for the lunch recess around 12:30 p.m., the same group gathered in Gyro Park to sing and drum as a show of support to the complainants who will be testifying in this trial.

Justice Michael Brundrett ordered a publication ban on any information that could help identify any of the complainants.

A jury of eight men and four women, along with one male and one female alternate juror, listened intently as the first female complainant gave evidence all day Wednesday.

The jury was selected and given opening statements by defence counsel Mark Norha from Vancouver and Crown attorney Andrew Vandersluys on Tuesday.

The first complainant testified she had been involved with three or four one-on-one native healing sessions with Ashley over several years and had never felt physically uncomfortable.

As a proud First Nations woman, she regularly participated in sweat lodge ceremonies, fasting and 香蕉视频直播渃reek ceremonies香蕉视频直播� where running water is used to cleanse herself physically, mentally and spiritually, she said.

While nothing unusual happened during several sessions with Ashley dating back several years, that changed during her session Oct. 15, 2022, she said.

She brought her six-year-old daughter to this session as she had medical problems in her young life and thought Ashley might be able to help her as well, she said.

香蕉视频直播淚t had been many, many years since I had seen him,香蕉视频直播� she said. 香蕉视频直播淭his time he was talking a lot, which was different for him, and I sensed he was going through a tough time.香蕉视频直播�

Ashley admitted to her he was going through some difficult times in his personal life and he appeared to have suffered some physical injuries, including his nose looking a lot different from the last time she had seen him, she said.

After performing a quick natural healing session on her daughter using smudging and an eagle feather to 香蕉视频直播渂rush off香蕉视频直播� bad spirits, her daughter left the room to play with some cousins, she said.

Ashley did his usual smudging and eagle feather brushing techniques with her, she said.

While sitting on a chair, Ashley香蕉视频直播檚 demeanour changed, she said.

香蕉视频直播淗e told me he was attracted to me,香蕉视频直播� she said. 香蕉视频直播淗e told me he had been attracted to me for a long time.香蕉视频直播�

When asked how that made her feel, she replied 香蕉视频直播淚 didn香蕉视频直播檛 know what to do. I香蕉视频直播檓 married and I didn香蕉视频直播檛 appreciate those kind of comments. It hurt me because I liked him and held him in high regard. I didn香蕉视频直播檛 know what to do or what to say. I didn香蕉视频直播檛 acknowledge his comments.香蕉视频直播�

While laying on her back nearing the end of her session, Ashley became much more physically aggressive, she said.

Ashley again commented how he was attracted to her physically 香蕉视频直播渁nd not just for my looks, but he said I was a free spirit and you just go and do what you want.香蕉视频直播�

While using traditional medicine techniques, Ashley commented she might have issues with her liver and uterus and suggested she might want to get those checked out by a medical doctor, she said.

His physical examination continued and he commented about a possible lump in her right breast, she said.

He asked if he could examine that breast, she agreed because she trusted him, and he proceeded to apply pressure to the point it hurt, she said.

Seconds later, Ashley 香蕉视频直播渨as yelling to get out whatever was in there,香蕉视频直播� she said. 香蕉视频直播淚t was nothing I had experienced before.香蕉视频直播�

Without permission, he allegedly started fondling her left breast and she didn香蕉视频直播檛 know what to do or say, she said.
香蕉视频直播淭o me, this wasn香蕉视频直播檛 a breast exam,香蕉视频直播� she said. 香蕉视频直播淭o me, it was being done in an inappropriate manner.香蕉视频直播�

Ashley then asked about any other physical ailments that might be bothering her and she commented she had been suffering from serious back issues for some time, she said.

Ashley commented he could reduce back pain by accessing other parts of her body, she said.

Within seconds, his groin was near one of her hands, she said.

香蕉视频直播淎t first, I tried to justify what he was doing,香蕉视频直播� she said. 香蕉视频直播淓ventually, I was able to move my hand away.香蕉视频直播�

He soon grabbed her body and moved it closer to the edge of the massage table and she could clearly see he was aroused.

香蕉视频直播淗e had an erection and was putting it against my legs,香蕉视频直播� she testified.

Eventually, he started massaging and caressing her upper thighs and put his hands up under her shirt, then her upper thighs and buttocks.

Ashley tried to justify his actions, in her opinion, by commenting that he could tell she was having some serious physical issues and her body was not in good shape, she said.

Eventually, he lifted one of her legs and started rubbing an area near her vagina, she said.

When asked if she had given him permission to do anything but examine her right breast, she said she hadn香蕉视频直播檛.

香蕉视频直播淎bsolutely not,香蕉视频直播� she said.

香蕉视频直播淚 was just frozen."

She was only able to leave when her sister poked her head inside the door and commented the session seemed to have gone on longer than normal, she said.

香蕉视频直播淭hat was my exit,香蕉视频直播� she said.

Four days later, she contacted Penticton RCMP and gave police a full statement, she said.

Under cross-examination, the complainant admitted the last healing session she had with Ashley before the 2022 session had upset her.

Ashley had commented he could feel 香蕉视频直播渁 darkness in her香蕉视频直播� and blamed her husband, she said.

Ashley then commented she should leave her husband and that if he hurt her in any way, he would kill him, she testified.

When asked why she went back to visit him again in 2022 after this incident, the complainant said she thought Ashley could help her daughter with her physical ailments and she was going through a difficult time and thought a healing session would help her.

None of the allegations have been proven in court.