Court filing reveals new details about alleged Hockey Canada group sexual assault<\/a><\/p>\n E.M. reported the incident to police the following day, but an initial investigation led by Det. Newton was closed without charges in February, 2019. He believed there was not enough evidence to lay charges. <\/p>\n The case only became public knowledge in May, 2022, after TSN reported that Hockey Canada<\/a> had settled a $3.55-million lawsuit brought by E.M. against the organization, as well as the Canadian Hockey League and eight unnamed players. The settlement was made without the players\u2019 knowledge or consent.<\/p>\n Timeline: Key events in the Hockey Canada case before it went to trial<\/a><\/p>\n London police reopened E.M.\u2019s case<\/a> in July, 2022, just days after The Globe and Mail published details of videos and texts<\/a> from around the time of the incident that were provided to police in 2018. Hockey Canada and the NHL have also conducted their own independent probes, but the results of those have not been made public.<\/p>\n Hockey Canada sex-assault trial spotlights roadblocks and missed opportunities<\/a><\/p>\n Open this photo in gallery:<\/a><\/p>\n From left, Alex Formenton, Cal Foote, Michael McLeod, Dillon Dube and Carter Hart as they individually arrive to court in London, Ont., on April 30.Nicole Osborne\/The Canadian Press<\/p>\n Who are the players accused? <\/p>\n The five members of the 2018 Canadian world junior team charged with sexually assaulting a woman<\/a> are Dillon Dub\u00e9, Carter Hart, Cal Foote, Alex Formenton and Michael McLeod. Mr. McLeod also faces a second charge of being a party to sexual assault. The men have each pleaded not guilty.<\/a> All five have denied wrongdoing and staged vigorous defences, and all have taken leaves from their teams.<\/p>\n Four of the five players had been playing in the NHL prior to their arrests in 2024. Mr. Dub\u00e9 was a member of the Calgary Flames, Mr. Hart was with the Philadelphia Flyers, and Mr. McLeod and Mr. Foote were playing for the New Jersey Devils. Mr. Formenton was playing for the Swiss club HC Ambri-Piotta at the time, but he had previously been a member of the Ottawa Senators.<\/p>\n Who are the 2018 world junior players charged with sexual assault?<\/a><\/p>\n Who is E.M.?<\/p>\n The complainant in the case is a woman publicly identified only as E.M., who was 20 years old at the time of the alleged assault. Her name is subjected to a mandatory publication ban that applies to complainants in sexual assault cases. <\/p>\n The fallout from the news that Hockey Canada had quietly settled a lawsuit filed by E.M. prompted London police to reopen the case in July, 2022. The charges against the five men were laid in January, 2024.<\/p>\n From 2022: Woman at centre of Hockey Canada scandal breaks silence<\/a><\/p>\n Open this photo in gallery:<\/a><\/p>\n Crown attorney Meaghan Cunningham (left) and Justice Maria Carroccia are pictured in a courtroom sketch during proceedings on May 29.Court illustration by Alexandra Newbould\/The Canadian Press<\/p>\n Who is the judge? <\/p>\n Justice Maria Carroccia<\/a> worked for decades as a leading criminal-defence lawyer in Windsor, Ont., before she was appointed as a judge to the Ontario Superior Court of Justice in 2020. In her five years as a judge, Justice Carroccia has overseen high-profile and complex cases, from murder to sexual assault trials.<\/p>\n Justice Carroccia\u2019s work during the Hockey Canada trial focused on the difficult nuances of sexual-assault law and what constitutes consent. Consent must be given voluntarily and continuously for each sexual act under Canadian law.<\/p>\n Opinion: Hockey Canada trial judge faces tough call on the invisible question of consent<\/a><\/p>\n The trial <\/p>\n The trial began in a London, Ont., courtroom in late April, and was plagued by disruption, including a mistrial<\/a> and the dismissal of a second jury<\/a>. After weeks of intense testimony and arguments over the admissibility of some key evidence, closing arguments wrapped up in mid-June. <\/p>\n E.M. testified that after consensual sex with McLeod, she felt \u201cshocked\u201d when other men started showing up to the room. The court heard that when she attempted to leave, the players stopped her and convinced her to stay. E.M. told the court that she went on \u201cauto-pilot\u201d as the men demanded sex acts.<\/p>\n Timeline: Key moments in the Hockey Canada trial<\/a><\/p>\n But over seven days of gruelling cross-examination by the five players\u2019 lawyers, defence counsel asserted to E.M. that she was the instigator of the sexual activity looking for a \u201cwild night\u201d and pressed her over inconsistencies between her court testimony and statements she had given to police, the amount of alcohol she consumed and her actions inside the hotel room.<\/p>\n Court also saw several messages, including one sent around 2 a.m. on the night of the alleged assault from Mr. McLeod\u2019s cellphone to a 19-person team group chat: \u201cWho wants to be in 3 way quick. 209- mikey.\u201d Then, after 3 a.m. and again just after 4 a.m., Mr. McLeod took two videos of E.M. Wrapped in a towel, she can be heard saying, \u201cit was all consensual\u201d and that she \u201cenjoyed it.\u201d<\/p>\n Several witnesses testified during the proceedings, including detectives in both London police probes and four former team members who are not accused of wrongdoing and were present during parts of the night in question: Brett Howden, Tyler Steenbergen, Taylor Raddysh and Boris Katchouk.<\/p>\n 1\/9<\/p>\n Howden\u2019s recollections became the subject of fraught legal arguments after Crown prosecutors accused him of feigning memory loss on the stand. However, their arguments to enter some of his text messages about that night into evidence were unsuccessful.<\/p>\n Carter Hart was the only accused hockey player to testify in his own defence, telling court he was positive E.M. was an excited and active participant to all the sexual activity. But Crown prosecutors pressed Hart on why McLeod felt the need to record a consent video and aimed to illustrate that Hart did not ensure E.M. was voluntarily and continuously consenting to each sexual act, as required by law.<\/p>\n Open this photo in gallery:<\/a><\/p>\n Alex Formenton is seen exiting the London courthouse with his lawyers, Daniel Brown (left) and Hilary Dudding in May.Nicole Osborne\/The Globe and Mail<\/p>\n Why is there no jury?<\/p>\n Just days after the trial began in late April, Hilary Dudding, one of the lawyers representing accused player Alex Formenton, and a member of the first jury bumped into each other at a local food market. The juror had concerns the interaction was inappropriate; Ms. Dudding said she had made a benign comment to the juror apologizing for the run-in. But the event caused Justice Carroccia to dismiss the original 14-member jury and restart the trial with a new jury.<\/p>\n In May, a member of the second jury accused lawyer Daniel Brown<\/a>, another member of Mr. Formenton\u2019s defence team, and his co-counsel Ms. Dudding of bullying the jury. <\/p>\n Who is Daniel Brown, defence lawyer in the Hockey Canada sex-assault trial?<\/a><\/p>\n A note handed to Justice Carroccia by juror 11 alleged: \u201cMultiple jury members feel we are being judged and made fun of by lawyers Brown and Hilary Dudding.\u201d <\/p>\n The lawyers categorically denied the accusation and the judge said she did not see any inappropriate behaviour. However, Justice Carroccia nonetheless said she had no choice but to dismiss the jury again<\/a>. After two juries were dismissed, Crown lawyers reluctantly agreed to proceed before a judge alone rather than starting the trial anew, which would have required E.M. to testify and be cross-examined by all five defence teams all over again.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Why did it take so long to get to trial? <\/p>\n London police reopened their 2018 sexual assault investigation<\/a> in July, 2022, after determining there were additional investigative avenues to pursue. <\/p>\n After the initial criminal investigation was concluded without charges in 2019, the case was not examined by a civilian committee whose mandate is to scrutinize the London Police Service\u2019s sexual assault investigations for missteps. It is not clear why the case wasn\u2019t brought to its attention.<\/p>\n Trial testimony and court documents have also shed more light on what police missed and the roadblocks investigators faced in the initial probe, from myths about the role of alcohol to not asking E.M. or the suspects important questions.<\/p>\n Court filing reveals new details about alleged Hockey Canada group sexual assault<\/a><\/p>\n The Globe\u2019s Robyn Doolittle answers reader questions on the Hockey Canada trial coverage<\/p>\n The trial of five former members of Canada\u2019s 2018 world junior hockey team, who are accused of sexually assaulting a woman in a London, Ont., hotel room in 2018, has raised questions about how news organizations cover such cases. Robyn Doolittle answers reader questions with Standards Editor Sandra E. Martin. The accused players have all pleaded not guilty.<\/p>\n The Globe and Mail<\/p>\n The verdict <\/p>\n When is the verdict?<\/p>\n Justice Maria Carroccia is scheduled to deliver her verdict after 10 a.m. on Thursday in London, Ont. This date was set in advance on the last day of closing arguments in mid-June.<\/p>\n What are the potential outcomes?<\/p>\n Under Canadian law, a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.<\/p>\n A guilty verdict indicates that the prosecution has convinced the judge or jury beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant committed the crime(s) in question. <\/p>\n A verdict of not guilty means the prosecution failed to meet the high standard of proof required for a conviction, thus the defendant is acquitted of the charges laid against them.<\/p>\n In a legal context, a not guilty verdict does not mean the court has affirmed the defendant\u2019s innocence, rather it means prosecutors were unable to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. <\/p>\n Opinion: Whatever the verdict, the benefits of hockey are diminished<\/a><\/p>\n All of the men were tried in one trial, so it is possible all could be found not guilty of all the charges, or all could be found guilty of all the charges. But it is also possible that some players could be found guilty while others are found not guilty. <\/p>\n Michael McLeod, the only accused facing two charges instead of one, could also be found not guilty of both, guilty of both, or guilty of one and not the other.<\/p>\n Open this photo in gallery:<\/a><\/p>\n The courthouse in London, Ont., where the sexual assault trial has taken place and where the verdict will be announced on Thursday.Nicole Osborne\/The Globe and Mail<\/p>\n Can the men return to the NHL if they are found not guilty?<\/p>\n The question of whether the players would be able to return to professional hockey if they are found not guilty has hung over the proceedings. <\/p>\n Four of the five players had been playing in the NHL prior to their arrests in 2024, though all took leaves from their teams after the charges were laid and some of their contracts have since expired. During the trial, Mr. Hart \u2013 who was the only player to testify in his own defence \u2013 told the court he is a free agent, meaning he is still eligible to play in the NHL, but is not signed to a team. None of the men are suspended from their teams or the NHL.<\/p>\n Gary Bettman won\u2019t say if Hockey Canada players on trial for sexual assault could return to NHL if acquitted<\/a><\/p>\n But it has never been clear if the players would be permitted to return, even if a team was willing to sign them. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman refused to say<\/a> if the league would allow it in early June.<\/p>\n Speaking at a news conference in Edmonton days before closing arguments in the trial, Mr. Bettman said the league wanted to let the court proceeding play out.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have said continuously we are not making any comments while the judicial process is taking place. We respect that,\u201d Mr. Bettman said. He then added: \u201cI want to be clear. What has been alleged is abhorrent and disgusting and should not be allowed.\u201d<\/p>\n What happens if the players are found guilty and convicted?<\/p>\n If any of the players are found guilty of sexual assault, they could face up to 10 years in prison under Canada\u2019s Criminal Code.<\/a> Being a party to a sexual assault, the additional charge Mr. McLeod is facing, is treated as seriously as being a perpetrator and could add 10 additional years to a sentence if he is found guilty.<\/p>\n Justice Carroccia would determine the actual length of any sentences and deliver her decision at a later date.<\/p>\n Any players found guilty and convicted would also almost certainly appeal the judge\u2019s decision, which could delay sentencing or serving any time in custody while a potential appeal is heard by a higher court.<\/p>\n Open this photo in gallery:<\/a><\/p>\n Alex Formenton passes demonstrators as he arrives at the courthouse in London, Ont. on May 8.Geoff Robins\/The Canadian Press<\/p>\n Impact of the settlement and trial<\/p>\n The impact of the Hockey Canada settlement scandal and subsequent criminal trial has been widespread. <\/p>\n The case has shaken the foundations of Hockey Canada<\/a>, one of the country\u2019s most prominent sports organizations, forcing difficult questions about the culture within a beloved game as well as triggering parliamentary hearings and high-level departures within the organization.<\/p>\n The issue of sexual assault allegations against Hockey Canada players has been well-known to the organization\u2019s top brass for years. During parliamentary hearings in Ottawa in 2022,<\/a> former Hockey Canada CEO Bob Nicholson said he regretted that there was not more focus on \u201cthe culture of silence that appears to persist to this day.\u201d<\/p>\n Former Hockey Canada CEO Scott Smith revealed during the hearings that Hockey Canada has dealt with an average of one to two sexual assault cases a year for the past six years.<\/p>\n In London, Ont., the Hockey Canada sex-assault trial looms large over the courthouse\u2019s neighbourhood<\/a><\/p>\n A Globe and Mail investigation<\/a> in July, 2022, found that Hockey Canada kept a special multimillion-dollar fund built up by registration fees of players across the country, that it uses to pay out settlements in cases of alleged sexual assault without its insurance company, and with minimal outside scrutiny.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n In the wake of Hockey Canada\u2019s response to the sexual assault allegations in 2022, Tim Hortons suspended its World Juniors sponsorship<\/a>, and Canadian Tire and Telus withdrew their support. Scotiabank also suspended its sponsorship<\/a> of Hockey Canada. <\/p>\n Some major sponsors reinstated their partnerships with Hockey Canada<\/a> in 2023, ahead of the world junior championship tournament.<\/p>\n Opinion: The important moral question Hockey Canada sponsors now face<\/a><\/p>\n The high-profile trial has also given a rare insight into how the Canadian criminal justice system addresses sexual assault. The verdict could set a new legal precedent on the question of what constitutes voluntary consent, particularly in cases of power imbalance.<\/p>\n Legal experts and sexual violence advocates have also said the case\u2019s handling and trial have highlighted failures of the legal system<\/a> to address sexual-assault accusations, and some say they fear a not guilty verdict may have a chilling effect and prevent others<\/a> from bringing forward allegations of sexual assault.<\/p>\n Opinion: To really change the culture around sexual violence, consent can\u2019t be taught as a technicality<\/a><\/p>\n Open this photo in gallery:<\/a><\/p>\n Demonstrators raising awareness for sexual assault survivors protest outside the London courthouse during the Hockey Canada sexual assault trial.Geoff Robins\/The Canadian Press<\/p>\n \u2018Honestly, it\u2019s gotten a lot worse\u2019: Teen girls on the Hockey Canada trial and life after #MeToo<\/a><\/p>\n The trial has also reignited broader conversations around consent, misogyny and sexual violence in hockey, and how insular cultures within professional sports organizations allow abuse to endure in secrecy.<\/p>\n As the trial has played out in the media, front-line staff at women\u2019s shelters and crisis centres have seen more victims coming forward<\/a> to formally report or seek support. At the London Abused Women\u2019s Centre, some people have walked in with donations in E.M.\u2019s name, while others have sent money from as far as Alberta.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/NR5IX55UQVCXTB3TNCB7AETH44.png\")
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