Former Calgary Stampeder Jerome Messam pleads guilty to voyeurism for recording sex video without consent

Former Calgary Stampeder Jerome Messam has pleaded guilty to a charge of voyeurism for videotaping a sexual encounter without the consent of the woman.

The incident took place in November 2016 when Messam was a running back for the Stamps.

Although the sex was consensual, the victim, whose identity is protected by a publication ban, did not know she was being recorded, learningof the existence of a video afterMessam sent her four snippetsover Snapchat.

On Monday, Court of Queen's Bench Justice April Grosse accepted Messam'splea, negotiated by prosecutor Janice Walsh and defence lawyer David Nguyen.

A sentencing hearing will take place at a later date.

An agreed statement of facts detailing the crime was read aloud by Walsh.

Two meet over social media

For months leading up to the incident, Messam and the woman followed each other on Instagram. On Nov. 11, 2016, Messamprivately messaged her through the app, givingher his number.

The two began communicating over WhatsApp and Snapchat and madea plan to meet for dinner that night.

• Roughriders release Jerome Messam after voyeurism charge relating to 'alleged videotaping'

The pair picked up some takeout food and brought it to Messam's Lower Mount Royal home, where they played with his dog and watched part of a movie.

The two then had consensual sex and the woman left Messam's home.

Messam and the woman continued to follow each other on social media.

'You can't show anybody'

Three months later, Messam sent her four 10-second videos of their sexual encounter.

She ultimately told police she was "in shock" after receiving the videos and didn't know how to react.

When the woman asked where the rest of the video was, Messam replied:

"Yo you can't show anybody, I'm nervous to send it to you."

"My bad babe, I have to record it on my phone from my computer and it's hard with my girl always around. It's a good vid I know but damn, you don't have me stored in the spank bank? LOL"

'Sorry that I hurt you'

In April 2018, the woman made a formal complaint to the CFL and also reported the incident to police.

When Messam was interviewed by police, he admitted to the recording and told officers he didn't intend to make the woman feel disrespected.

He also offered an apology to the victim.

"Nobody's seen it, it's been deleted, and I'm just sorry that I hurt you," Messam said.

After he was charged in July 2019, Messam's contract with the Saskatchewan Roughriders was terminated.

Messam played for the Stampeders for almost three seasons before joining the Roughriders in February 2018.