By Canadian Press

Caitlan Coleman alleges she was hit, tied up, forced into sex by Joshua Boyle

Mar 29, 2019 | 12:56 PM

OTTAWA — The estranged wife of Joshua Boyle says he allegedly struck her, tied her ankles and wrists with rope and forced her to have sex during an incident following the couple’s forced captivity in Afghanistan.

Caitlan Coleman, who gave birth to three children during a five-year hostage ordeal at the hands of extremists beginning in 2012, is back on the witness stand at her husband’s assault trial in Ottawa.

The 35-year-old Boyle has pleaded not guilty to a number of criminal charges for alleged offences against Coleman, including assault, sexual assault and unlawful confinement.

The couple, who were seized by extremists while on a backpacking trip through central Asia, were freed and returned to Canada in late 2017.

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Coleman, 33, described several incidents involving Boyle — including how he once tied her face down to their bed, had sex with her and left her there until he fell asleep, which allowed her to free herself more than 30 minutes later.

She  also described a separate incident in which she alleges he pinned her down and tried to force her to have anal sex, and hit her in the face when she resisted.

Coleman testified via closed-circuit television from a separate room to avoid being in the main courtroom with her now-estranged husband.

The Canadian Press