Shocking Hockey Canada sexual assault trial ends as judge's verdict on disgraced NHL stars looms on July 24
After eight grueling weeks of emotional testimony, disturbing evidence, and fierce courtroom exchanges, the high-profile sexual assault trial involving five former members of the 2018 World Junior Hockey team has officially concluded in London, Ontario.
Justice Maria Carroccia will deliver her verdict on July 24, a decision that could alter the reputations and futures of the accused athletes and reshape public trust in Hockey Canada.
Eight weeks of disturbing testimony close in high-profile Hockey Canada case
Michael McLeod, Carter Hart, Alex Formenton, Dillon Dubé, and Cal Foote have all pleaded not guilty to charges stemming from an alleged group sexual assault in June 2018. The Crown alleges the incident occurred at a hotel after a Hockey Canada event, with E.M.,
the complainant—whose identity remains protected—testifying that she was assaulted over several hours after initially agreeing to have consensual sex with McLeod.
— TheHockeyNews (@TheHockeyNews)
Crown attorneys Meaghan Cunningham and Heather Donkers centered their final arguments on the issue of consent. Cunningham pointed to videos filmed by McLeod, supposedly showing E.M. consenting, as evidence of coercion rather than clarity. 'She's simply agreeing with him when he's making it clear what he wants her to say,' Cunningham said.
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The Crown argued that E.M. was placed in a highly vulnerable situation—intoxicated, naked, and surrounded by multiple unfamiliar men—and that the players took no steps to ensure active, ongoing consent. 'No one thought like that,' Cunningham added. 'Because they were thinking in terms of rape myths and mistakes of law about what consent is.'
Each defense team aggressively challenged E.M.'s credibility. Lawyers painted her as the sexual aggressor who encouraged group sex and later fabricated the assault claim out of regret.
Defense attorney Julianna Greenspan accused the prosecution of playing to public sentiment, saying, 'The Crown… has throughout this trial been preoccupied with litigating the public opinion through the media.'
Also Read:
'She initially tried to resist': Crown argues Hockey Canada accuser felt forced into s*x acts during 2018 assault involving five players
As Carroccia deliberates over the summer, the spotlight will remain fixed on the courtroom—and on Hockey Canada's role in a scandal that continues to stir national outrage and reflection. The decision, and the response it triggers, may redefine the intersection of power, consent, and accountability in Canadian sport.
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