TORONTO - The CBC says Jian Ghomeshi was fired due to the emergence of unspecified ``graphic'' evidence that its former star radio host had caused physical injury to a person.
In a memo to staff today, executive vice-president Heather Conway says the co-founder and host of the ``Q'' program advised the corporation in the spring that the Toronto Star was looking into allegations by a ex-girlfriend that he had engaged in non-consensual ``rough sex.''
Conway says CBC saw on October 23rd for the first time graphic evidence that he had caused physical injury to a woman.
She says it determined his conduct was what she calls ``a fundamental breach of CBC's standard of acceptable conduct for any employee.''
Quoting unnamed sources, the Toronto Star is reporting the 47-year-old showed his bosses videos depicting bondage and beating during sexual activities in an effort to show bruising could happen and still be consensual.
As many as nine women -- two named -- have since come forward to allege he attacked them physically and sexually without warning.
Ghomeshi, who was fired on Sunday, has insisted he's had only consensual ``rough sex'' with women and said yesterday he would meet the allegations ``directly.''
He has also launched a 55-million-dollar lawsuit against the CBC for breach of confidence.
