Trial begins for alleged Twitter harasser
Posted January 7, 2014 5:19 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The trial of a 52-year-old Toronto man, who allegedly harassed women on social media, began on Tuesday.
Gregory Elliott, 52, faces four counts of criminal harassment and one count of breaching a peace bond for allegedly sending unwanted tweets that caused three women to fear for their safety.
Elliott was first arrested on Nov. 21, 2012, after Stephanie Guthrie claimed he continued to contact her after she backed out of a proposed business deal.
More charges were laid against Elliott in January after two more women came forward.
Guthrie, who the court heard is a political feminist, met Elliott on Twitter and the two began talking about a graphic design project.
On his Twitter profile Elliott describes himself as an artist and designer, as well as a father of four adult sons.
On Tuesday, defence lawyer Chris Murphy suggested that things between the two turned sour after Guthrie got a “bad vibe” from him and turned him down for work making posters for her political group, Women in Toronto Politics.
Det. Jeff Bangild told the court Tuesday he did not find any outward threats of harm in the 100,000 tweets Elliott sent around November 2012.
The three complainants are scheduled to begin testify starting Wednesday.
Elliott’s Twitter account has been inactive since the date of his arrest.
