Hockey Canada sexual assault case: Accused Carter Hart claims woman had sex willingly, did not protest
Defense challenges witness credibility
Live Events
Trial disruptions
Background of the case
(You can now subscribe to our
(You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel
The sexual assault trial involving five former members of Canada's world junior hockey team continued Thursday at Ontario Superior Court in London. Carter Hart , one of the accused, took the witness stand for the first time. He revealed some of the fuzzy events surrounding the alleged group sexual assault of a young woman, identified as E.M., at a hotel in June 2018.Hart testified that the woman involved, referred to as E.M., willingly participated in the sexual activities that occurred in a hotel room in June 2018. He stated that E.M. did not express any objections during the encounter. Hart is the first of the accused players to testify in the trial.In earlier updates, it was confirmed that one of the accused, Michael McLeod , who had consensual sex with one of the women, will not be testifying. There is still uncertainty regarding whether other accused, Cal Foote, Dillon Dubé, or Alex Formenton, will choose to testify in their own defense.During cross-examination, Hart's lawyer questioned NHL player Brett Howden, who was present during the incident. The defense pointed out inconsistencies in Howden 's recollection, suggesting his memory might be unreliable due to a past head injury. Howden's testimony is central to the prosecution's case.Brett Howden testified remotely from Las Vegas, where he plays for the Golden Knights, and was questioned by Megan Savard, the lawyer for Cart.The trial has faced multiple disruptions. Earlier this month, the jury was dismissed after jurors reported feeling mocked by defense attorneys. This followed a previous mistrial caused by alleged inappropriate contact between a juror and a defense lawyer. As a result, the trial is now proceeding without a jury.The charges stem from an incident during a Hockey Canada gala in June 2018. The complainant alleges she was sexually assaulted by multiple players in a hotel room.All five accused, Carter Hart, Michael McLeod, Cal Foote, Dillon Dubé, and Alex Formenton, have pleaded not guilty. McLeod faces an additional charge of being a party to the offense.The trial continues under the supervision of Ontario Superior Court Justice Maria Carroccia. A publication ban remains in effect, limiting the release of certain details.All five players are currently on leave from professional hockey and are not under contract with any NHL team.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Economic Times
19 minutes ago
- Economic Times
Eight gold, 10 silver, and 6 bronze medals: India sign off with 24 medals at 26th Asian Athletics Championships
Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel A new national record, a flurry of personal bests, and six medals on the final day marked a strong finish for India at the 26th Asian Athletics Championships , as the country wrapped up its campaign with a total of 24 medals on a gold medal remained out of reach on the concluding day, Indian athletes showcased resilience and determination, clinching three silver and three bronze medals with commendable Chaudhary claimed her second silver of the meet with a strong run in the women's 5000m, clocking 15:15.33s to finish second, adding to the silver she had earlier won in the 3000m javelin thrower Sachin Yadav earned his silver with a personal best effort, the women's 4x100m relay team, featuring Abinaya Rajarajan, Sneha SS, Srabani Nanda, and Nithya Gandhe, clocked a season-best 43.86s to bag India's final Animesh Kujur blazed to a national record of 20.32s to clinch a a bronze in the men's 200m for distance runner Pooja recorded a personal best to take bronze in the women's 800m, while Asian Games medallist Vithya Ramraj secured the third place in the women's 400m thus wrapped up the championships with 8 gold, 10 silver, and 6 bronze medals. While the overall count fell short of the 27 medals won in the previous edition, the contingent has improved on the gold tally, increasing it from 6 to finished second in the medal tally behind China (19 gold, 9 silver, 4 bronze), marking the country's best performance since the 2017 edition in Bhubaneswar, where it topped the standings with 29 medals (10 gold, 6 silver, 13 bronze).Japan finished third with 5 gold, 11 silver and 12 bests for Sachin and YashvirIn the absence of two-time Olympic medallist Neeraj Chopra, both the Indian javelin throwers produced personal best star Sachin sent his spear to 85.16m in his last attempt to finish behind Pakistan's reigning Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem, who was appearing in his first competition since the Paris Games last year. The Pakistani fetched the gold with a 86.40m in his maiden major international meet, Sachin narrowly missed the World Championships qualification mark of 85.50m, and blamed his twin injuries -- to the ankle and shoulder -- for the shortfall."I'm not satisfied, but yes, I'll go back with a medal and a personal best," said the 25-year-old, who had a previous personal best of whether he could breach the qualifying mark in the next 2-3 months, with the World Championships scheduled in Tokyo this September, he remained hopeful."Once I return, I'll give my all in training. I've made some mistakes that affected my preparation. For instance, I had injuries -- first in my ankle, then in my shoulder -- which prevented me from training properly," he said."I can't say exactly how much time I'll need, but I will try to give my best in the next competition and aim to qualify with a good distance," added Sachin who hails from a farmer's family at Khekra village near Baghpat in Uttar Indian Yashvir Singh also impressed with a personal best of 82.57m for a fifth-place wins India's first men's sprint medal in a decadeAsian Games medallist bronze Vithya sailed smoothly over the women's 400m hurdles to finish on the third step of the podium. The 26-year-old Tamil Nadu athlete clocked 56.46s to finish on the Mo Jiadie clinched gold in 55.31s, edging out Bahrain's Oluwakemi Adekoya, who finished second in 55.32s. Anu Raghavan, the other Indian in the race, was placed seventh with grabbed India's third bronze of the day as she finished the women's 800m with a personal best of 2: the women's 200m final, Jyoti Yarraji finished fifth with a time of 23.47s, while Nithya Gandhe came seventh in 23.90s. Yarraji had won gold in the women's 100m hurdles earlier in the the men's 800m, Krishan Kumar and Anu Kumar finished seventh and eight respectively.(with PTI inputs)
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Pakistan Hockey Federation threatens to seek Asia Cup relocation if India fails to assure visas
Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) has said it will seek the relocation of the upcoming Asia Cup from India if visas are not guaranteed for its national continental tournament is scheduled to be held in India between late August and early September, with the winner earning a direct qualification spot for next year's World Cup in Europe.A PHF spokesperson said the federation would consider sending its team to the tournament only if the Asian Hockey Federation and local organisers provided written assurance of visa issuance."Despite the strained relations between both countries if visas are guaranteed we will approach our government for clearance to play in India," he said."Whatever directions are given by our government we will follow them but Pakistan's policy has always been to keep sports and politics apart."The comments come in the backdrop of heightened political tensions between the two nations, which came close to a full-grown war early this PHF also raised concerns over player security, saying it was the responsibility of the host nation to ensure the safety of all participating which has not qualified for the last two Olympic Games and missed out on the previous Hockey World Cup, is looking to rebuild its standing in the sport.
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
Confirmed: Lane Lambert replaces Dan Bylsma as Seattle Kraken head coach after disappointing season
Lane Lambert (via Getty Images) Veteran NHL coach and former bench boss of the New York Islanders Lane Lambert was officially introduced as the new head coach of the Seattle Kraken on Thursday. The move is more than a month after Seattle fired Dan Bylsma, who served only one year as head coach. Lane Lambert, 60, inherits a Kraken team that struggled in 2024-25, going 35-41-6 and finishing seventh in the Pacific Division to miss the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the third time in four seasons. Seattle Kraken looks up to veteran head Lane Lambert to lead a new path Seattle Kraken hiring Lane Lambert as team's next head coach The Seattle Kraken is counting on Lane Lambert's strategic experience and championship background to shake up their up-and-down roster. "I'm so excited to become the head coach of the Seattle Kraken," Lane Lambert said. "When it came time to writing a new chapter, I couldn't think of a better fit. Seattle is an incredible sports town, and I've been impressed by the energy of the fans every time I've been there as a visiting coach. This team has a talented group of young players poised to take the next step and a core group of veterans with great leadership qualities. I'd like to thank (owner) Samantha Holloway, (president of hockey operations) Ron Francis and (general manager) Jason Botterill for this opportunity. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Pedí tu alarma hoy y llevate Zerovision 100% GRATIS. Alarmas Verisure Ver oferta Undo I can't wait to get started.' Lane Lambert's hiring is the first significant one made by newly promoted executive VP Jason Botterill, who now has oversight of hockey operations, joining president Ron Francis. The two chose Lambert after what Botterill characterized as "an extensive search," praising his leadership, Stanley Cup background, and vision for the future of the team. Also read: Lane Lambert named Seattle Kraken head coach in bold new era of leadership With Lane Lambert now on the bench, the Seattle Kraken are sending a message of change and expectations as they begin their fifth season in the NHL. Supported by an overhauled front office and one of the league's most faithful fan bases, Lambert's task will be to make a skilled but inconsistent team a consistent playoff team — and maybe even provide the franchise with its first-ever postseason series victory.
