Accusations date from 1979

The founder of Montreal’s Just for Laughs Comedy Festival has been charged with rape and indecent assault.  

Prosecutors yesterday announced that they brought the charges over incidents that are alleged to have occurred in 1979.

Rozon last year sold his stake in Just For Laughs – which also makes TV programmes, promotes tours and stages other comedy festivals around the world – when allegations of sexual misconduct began surfacing in the wake of the #MeToo movement.

Claims made by 14 women were investigated by Quebec’s director of criminal prosecutions, but the charges relate to just one of them.

However, the provincial justice minister, Sonia LeBel said: ‘Despite everything, I would encourage women to continue calling people out. This isn’t a value judgment on their stories, it’s a very precise decision in a very precise context, meaning in the ability to lay criminal charges.’

Rozon, 64, told Canada’s Globe and Mail: ‘I will continue to defend myself before the justice system, and I reserve all comment for that authority.’

Published: 13 Dec 2018