Crown details Justin Hudson's brutal attacks on woman and teen

A 21-year-old Winnipeg man has pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated sexual assault for separate attacks on an indigenous teenager and a 23-year-old woman on the same night that took place in November 2014.

Justin Hudson waived his right to a trial in provincial court Tuesday after reaching a plea deal with the Crown.

The judge placed a publication ban on the names of the two victims,the youngest of whom became a national advocate in the fight to stop violence against aboriginal women.

Hudson was originally charged with attempted murder and aggravated sexual assault for the attack on the teen under the Midtown Bridge. The attempted murder charge was dropped by the Crown as part of the plea deal.

Hudsonwas originally charged with sexual assault with a weapon in the case of the 23-year-old woman, but thatcharge was upgraded toaggravated sexual assault.

Teen attacked under bridge

According to an agreed statement of facts, Hudson committed the crimes with a 17-year-old boy, who has yet to stand trial on the charges against him.

Court was told Hudson and his friend lured the teen girl, who was16yearsold at the time, under the bridge with the intention of sexually assaulting her.

"The two accused began to punch her in the face," said Crown prosecutor Debbie Buors. "She tried to fight back, but was taken to the ground and stomped on in the area of the upper body and head. She tried to protect herself and fought back and she did so until she was knocked out by both of the accused."

Court heard once the teen was unconscious, her pants and underwear were removed and the two males took turns sexually assaulting her. When she came to, she was punched in the face and knocked out again.

The teen's Air Jordan runners, NorthFace jacket, iPodand an alcoholic beverage were stolen by the pair.

Buors said the teen ended up in the freezingriver after she was robbed, travelled about 100 metres in the water before she managed to climb out. The prosecutor said the temperature was between4 C to 11 C that night.

After the teen climbed out of the river, Hudson and his accompliceassaulted her again "by hitting her on the head with a hammer that the accused had in their backpack," according to Buors.

She was found on the river path around 7 a.m. by a passerby.

Court heard the teen had a core body temperature of25 or26C, when it should have been around 38 C.

She went into cardiac arrest for 45 minutes, had to be revived, and then went into cardiac arrest again.

Initially, the homicide unit was involvedbecause it was believed the teen wouldn't survive.

She spent seven days in the hospital.

Attack on 23-year-old woman

Hudson and his accomplice met the second victim, who was 23 at the time, at around 2:30 a.m.

They all began walking together down a back lane off of Portage Avenue and Sherbrook Street, ending up behind the Sherbrook pool.

The Crown said when the victimrealized Hudson had slowed down behind her, she turned around and hehit her in the facewith a baseball bat.

"She started bleeding inside her mouth," said Buors. "Hudson then hit her on the back of the head causing a large gash that started bleeding immediately."

The woman's purse was searched and the pairdemanded drugs, money and her phone. They took heriPhone and iPod.

The Crown said Hudson ordered the woman to take off her clothes and he and his accomplice took turns sexually assaulting the woman at different locations in the back lane. At one point they sexually assaulted her together.

"During the whole time she was being sexually assaulted, she was pouring blood from her face, inside her mouth, and head wound to the back of her head," said Buors.

One of her attackers said: "I like this one, let's keep her for a while." The court was told Hudson has no memory of saying that, but did not deny it happened. He suggested his accomplice could have said it.

Hudson admitted sexually assaulting the woman atthree different locations.

The pair eventually let her go and she made her way to a 7-Eleven store.

By random chance, the victim asked Hudson's mother and sister for help inside the store. They offered to walk her somewhere, but before they finished paying, she was gone.

She made it to her brother's home around 4:09 a.m. Her brother called 911 and she was taken to hospital. She was treated for her injuries and required stitches to close a gash on her chin.

Sister called police on Hudson

Court heard it was Hudson's sister who turned him in to police.

According to the Crown, Hudson's family was suspicious after encountering the victim at the convenience store and seeing blood on his clothing.

Other things they thought suspicious included Hudson and his friend showing off an iPhone and two iPods, and the friend trying to wash blood off the stolen shoes he claimed to have found.

The day after the attacks, Hudson's mother confronted him and he responded by saying, "Shut the f--kup or I'll do to you what I did to that girl last night."

When his sister went to call police, he ran from the house.

Hudson was arrested on Nov. 11, 2014. Court heard he admitted to the attacks and named his accomplice.

The teen suspect was arrested later that day. Evidence against him includes pictures he took with the teenage girl's iPodwearing herjacket, which uploaded to her iCloud.

DNA evidence connected Hudson to the sexual assaults.

Hudson's lawyer ordered several reports, including an independent one to assess his cognitive functioning. The reports will be discussed in court on Jan. 31, 2016. A sentencing date will be set in February.