BORDER GUARD TAKES STAND

SURREY - A Surrey border guard accused of strip searching and sexually
assaulting a U.S. woman at the Peace Arch border crossing in 2007 says
he doesn't remember much about that particular night because nothing
out of the ordinary happened.

Daniel Greenhalgh testified Monday that he did not strip search or
touch the woman as she claimed, so "there's not much too remember."

Greenhalgh is accused of sexually assaulting three women at that
border crossing in 2007 and illegally strip searching four. The
women's names may not be published, by court order.

"All four of these women are lying," lawyer Joe McCarthy told the
jury. The trial is being heard in B.C. Supreme Court in New
Westminster.

"You don't remember this evening in particular?" McCarthy asked
Greenhalgh. "No," he replied.

The court has heard testimony from alleged victims who say Greenhalgh
took them to either a public washroom or a dimly lit fenced area,
ostensibly to search them for drugs, and then groped them after having
them strip.

Earlier in the trial, the jury heard from a U.S. woman who had come
north with her boyfriend. She claimed Greenhalgh had her strip and
then he groped her in a men's public washroom.

The court also heard that government policy requires that strip
searches be conducted by two guards of the same gender as the person
being stripped, and only with the approval of a superior officer, and
that guards are not allowed to touch those being searched.

"It would always involve a superintendent at some stage," Greenhalgh
testified Monday.

The woman had testified Greenhalgh "felt around" under her bra and
"patted down below."

She said he gave her two choices: Either consent to being strip
searched by him, or be detained overnight, have it go on her record,
and be strip searched in the morning.

The woman testified that he told her to cross a road to the washroom,
where she claims the assault happened.

"I've never been in there," Greenhalgh told the court.

On a border surveillance video he can be seen crossing the street. He
told the court he was probably heading to his car to get some
flashlight batteries or maybe a pop.

"I left my Coke in the car. My Coca Cola," he said.

"If I left my Coca Cola in the office it had a tendency to go
missing."

He told the court he'd parked his car in the duty free lot after a
supervisor "scolded" him for parking in the north lot. "From my
recollection she arrived to work one morning and couldn't get a
parking spot," he explained.

Greenhalgh told the court his graveyard shift began at 10:30 that
particular night. It was not unusual for border guards to do secondary
inspections alone, he said. "On a typical night I'd probably do 15."

As for this alleged victim's particular case, he said, "The only thing
I remember is there being an immigration exam."

On Friday McCarthy called to the stand Carol Lynne Luelo, an
immigration agent who had worked alongside Greenhalgh.

She testified she had dealt with the couple that night, conducting the
immigration part of the check.

She said the woman didn't have proper financial documentation to be
issued a student visa. She granted her a one-month visitor's permit
instead.

During her interview with the woman, Luelo testified, she found her to
be calm and polite but "a little tense looking."

"She knew immigration was starting to have concerns with her," she
told the court. "Did I believe all she was telling me? No.

"There was an attempt to be with her boyfriend," she said, describing
the couple as "closely bonded... like street kids will be bonded."

Asked if she thinks the woman lied during the interview, Luelo
replied, "Was she outright lying to me? Nothing indicated that.

"I don't recall any outright lies, at all."

McCarthy asked Luelo if the woman looked like she'd been crying, or
seemed upset like she'd experienced a "recent traumatic event."

She "seemed happy" that she was being permitted entry into Canada,
Luelo replied.

Luelo testified under cross-examination that after the woman received
her OK to enter Canada, "You could see her face light up.

"She was happy she was allowed in. Relieved, happy."

The trial continues.