Testimony wraps in Jake Virtanen's sexual assault trial

Jake Virtanen was back on the stand Friday, the final day of testimony in his sexual assault trial in B.C. Supreme Court in Vancouver.

The 25-year-old former Vancouver Canuck is charged with one count of sexual assault related to an incident in his hotel room at the Westin Bayshore Hotel in Vancouver on Sept. 26, 2017. 

The name of the complainant, identified as MS, is protected by a publication ban. She and Virtanen were the only witness called in the trial.

For a second straight day, Virtanen broke down during questioning from his defence team about how the allegation has affected his hockey career.

Virtanen said he was "speechless" when the Canucks placed him on leave on May 1, 2021.

"Have you played pro hockey since?" asked his lawyer Colleen Elden.

"I had to go to Russia," he answered. 

"Why did you have to go there?" asked Elden. 

"It was the only place where someone would give me a job," he sobbed. 

In a final question from his defence, Virtanen once again told the jury that MS was an "active, equal and enthusiastic participant" in the sexual encounter. 

Crown counsel Alan Ip challenged Virtanen in cross-examination, asking him to explain why he took MS directly to his hotel room at the Westin Bayshore after picking her up the night of the alleged incident. 

MS, who was 18 at the time of the alleged assault, testified she didn't know Virtanen had a room at the Westin Bayshore until right before they arrived at the hotel. She said she didn't know he was taking her to his room because they hadn't talked about it.

Virtanen said there was never any discussion about doing something else like going for dinner or walking on the seawall.

"It was your idea to go to your room?" asked Ip.

"I just drove back to where we