‘She's not an honest or a reliable witness': Defence challenges complainant's credibility as closing arguments begin at Hockey Canada trial
LONDON, Ont. — The complainant in the high-profile Hockey Canada sexual assault trial was a 'fully consenting participant' who fabricated her allegations because she didn't want to admit she chose to be 'sexually adventurous' in a hotel room full of men she had just met, the defence argued Monday at the start of closing arguments.
The central issue in the case is whether the woman, whose identity is covered by a standard publication ban, consented to sexual activity with Michael McLeod, Alex Formenton, Carter Hart, Dillon Dubé and Cal Foote, all members of the 2018 Canadian world junior championship team, in a room at the Delta Armouries hotel in the early hours of June 19, 2018, when she was 20 years old.
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National Post
4 hours ago
- National Post
Complainant in hockey players' sex assault trial not credible, defence argues
LONDON, Ont. — A woman accusing five hockey players of sexual assault made up a false narrative because she didn't want to take responsibility for her decisions that night, a defence lawyer for one of the players argued as final submissions in the case began Monday. Article content David Humphrey, who represents Michael McLeod, argued the complainant has presented an 'entirely unbelievable and unreliable' version of what transpired the night of June 18 into the early hours of June 19, 2018, and urged the judge to disregard several aspects of the woman's testimony, including that she acted out of fear. Article content Article content Article content He argued the woman may not have been willing to acknowledge to others and even herself that she had been 'sexually adventurous in a hotel room' with several men she had just met, and created a narrative 'in which she bears no responsibility' for her participation in those acts. Article content She was upset that she had cheated on her boyfriend and felt McLeod and Alex Formenton, another accused player who was his roommate at the hotel, had been rude to her as she left, Humphrey said. Article content When her mother found her in the bathroom at home, looking upset, 'it suited her purposes to present herself as a victim,' the defence lawyer argued. Article content 'But what started as … an understandable white lie shared in private with her mother snowballs beyond her control into a criminal investigation.' Article content McLeod, Formenton, Dillon Dube, Carter Hart and Callan Foote have pleaded not guilty to sexual assault. McLeod has also pleaded not guilty to an additional charge of being a party to the offence of sexual assault. Article content Prosecutors allege McLeod, Hart and Dube obtained oral sex from the woman without her consent, and Dube slapped her buttocks while she was engaged in a sexual act with someone else. Article content Article content Foote is accused of doing the splits over the woman's face and 'grazing' his genitals on it without her consent. Formenton is alleged to have had vaginal sex with the complainant inside the bathroom without her consent. Article content All five of the accused were members of Canada's 2018 world junior hockey team and were in London, Ont., with many of their teammates for a series of events marking their gold medal victory at that year's championship, court has heard. Most of the team ended up at a downtown bar, Jack's, after an open-bar gala hosted by Hockey Canada, court heard. Article content The complainant, who was 20 at the time, was at the bar with some co-workers and eventually left with McLeod to go to his hotel room, where they had sex. That encounter is not part of the trial, which instead focuses on what happened after several other players came into the room.
CBC
4 hours ago
- CBC
Defence lawyers target E.M.'s memory ‘gap,' credibility as witness at world juniors sex assault trial
The Latest The sexual assault trial that began in late April for five former Hockey Canada world junior players continued today in Ontario Superior Court in London. The defence teams began making their closing arguments. Lawyers for Michael McLeod and Carter Hart both took aim at the complainant's reliability as a witness. They pointed to supposed gaps in E.M.'s memory and argued there is not adequate evidence to suggest she was coerced or provided 'fear-induced consent.' David Humphrey, McLeod's lawyer, said E.M. 'chose to abandon restraint' and has refused to take any personal responsibility for her own actions from June 18-19, 2018. All five men have pleaded not guilty to the alleged assaults in a London hotel room. McLeod has also pleaded not guilty to being a party to the offence.
Toronto Sun
4 hours ago
- Toronto Sun
WARMINGTON: Details scarce after 15-year-old shot dead in latest violence to rock city
But Toronto Police keeping card close to their vest is often a sign that they have a good probe underway to search for the shooter Get the latest from Joe Warmington straight to your inbox A Toronto Police vehicle is see at Bluffers Park in Scarborough, Aug. 17, 2020. Photo by Ernest Doroszuk / Toronto Sun It looks like the shooter or shooters were looking for a specific teenager and on Saturday night they not only found him but murdered him. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account It was loud when it happened in the Mount Dennis neighbourhood, but has gone quiet ever since. But when you have 15-year-olds shot in what looks like a targeted murder, you know as a city you have a major problem that just can't be glossed over, or pretend that everything is okay. It's not okay. The victims seem to be getting younger and so do the shooters and violent criminals. And Toronto as a whole, and the Canadian justice system, does not seem to have any answer for it — or much of a desire to find one. The gang wars seem to go from one generation to the other and few seem to care unless a bullet hits an unintended target. Then there's outrage. But there should be outrage every time a 15-year-old is gunned down in cold blood — which is what happened Saturday just after 10 p.m. at Emmett Ave. and Jane St. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Investigators with Toronto Police Homicide are all over this case, which witnesses say involved a shooter, or shooters, approaching in a car and firing toward 10 people — shooting one in the chest who later was pronounced dead. 'Multiple shots were fired,' said one first responder. 'There were about 10 people shot at. One hit.' Police are keeping evidence close to the vest, as well as just where they are taking their investigation. It's not believed to be connected to last week's fatal Lawrence Heights shooting or recent violence in the Driftwood neighbourhood. From downtown to Jamestown to Rexdale to Scarborough, whatever the reason, Toronto Police understand the players and the beefs and are working hard to solve Toronto's 14th homicide of 2025. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'We can understand how concerning incidents like this are to members of the community,' Det. Sgt. Phillip Campbell said during a media scrum Sunday. Police worked all weekend gathering evidence but did not offer an updated news release on Monday. Perhaps they are close to an arrest? Or just hard at work gathering evidence. SHOOTING: Emmett Ave & Jane St @TPS12DIV10:06 pm-police responded to reports of a shooting in the area-officers arrived on scene and located a male victim with a gunshot wound -male victim being transported to hospital by @TorontoMedics -suspect fled the area#GO1186586 ^sm— Toronto Police Operations (@TPSOperations) June 8, 2025 This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'There won't be a release today,' said Toronto Police spokesperson Stephanie Sayer on Monday. 'The decision to publicly identify a homicide victim — particularly a young person — is made in close consultation with the family. As you can appreciate, this is an incredibly sensitive situation.' We do understand. These are families that are torn apart. It's ugly. But young people dying and their names being kept from the public is a concerning trend because if you don't have a victim or a picture, it's hard for the public to feel something — from sadness to outrage. This is the second young person to die this year in a violent incident in which the victim's identity has not yet been made public. The other was a 16-year-old shot by police April 22, after videos show him shooting at an officer from the back of a car that he was asked to exit. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The SIU is investigating that case. But we don't know who it was, how he had a gun and what he was up to that night or at other times. As a result, the public is in the dark about what is going on on its streets. What we do know with the Emmett Ave. fatal shooting is that a robust probe is underway. 'We want to assure the public that we are dedicating all necessary resources to this investigation,' Campbell told reporters. While no victim's name has been released so far — likewise for hints on the motive — sources tell the Sun one investigative avenue being considered is a potential retribution play from a rival gang as a result of some dissing on social media. Police have not confirmed this but it's standard into today's street world — whether it's rappers trading barbs in videos and messaging online or messages being delivered by gunfire. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. It's dark and bad for Toronto. But there is a killer or killers out there. For now. 'The suspect fled the area prior to police arrival,' police said. Anyone with information is asked to call police at 416-808-7400, or contact Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477), or at Maybe your call will help solve this horrible murder of a 15-year-old human being who had a name and life before having it stolen from him Saturday. Read More RECOMMENDED VIDEO Toronto Blue Jays Olympics World Celebrity Olympics
