Latest news with #Crown
Perth Now
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Swift tour at heart of Guy's manager's trial
Guy Sebastian's former manager is alleged to have embezzled $187,000 earnt by the pop star for supporting Taylor Swift, leaving the Australian Idol winner to take home $23,000 from the tour, a court has been told. Titus Emanuel Day is standing trial in the NSW District Court where he has denied embezzling hundreds of thousands in royalties and performance fees from the pop star. The court has been told that Mr Day was Mr Sebastian's long-time manager – through his 6 Degrees agency – and friend before they had a bitter falling out in 2017. The Crown alleges that Mr Day failed to remit performance fees and royalties that were collected on Mr Sebastian's behalf by Mr Day. Mr Day has pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of embezzlement as a clerk or servant and one count of attempting to dishonestly obtain financial advantage by deception. On day two of his trial on Friday, his lawyers told the jury that Mr Day denied doing anything dishonest or fraudulent. One of the charges relates to an allegation that Mr Day failed to remit $187,000 to Mr Sebastian for performance fees as a support act for Swift on her 2013 tour of Australia. Titus Day is standing trial in the NSW District Court. NewsWire / John Appleyard. Credit: News Corp Australia Crown prosecutor Brett Hatfield SC told the court that the booking agent paid $494,000 – in the form of four payments of about $123,000 – into a 6 Degrees trust account following the four arena performances. According to the Crown case, Mr Day was entitled to a commission of $59,000 and Mr Sebastian should have been paid $435,000 according to the 80-20 split in his contract with 6 Degrees. However, Mr Hatfield told the jury, Mr Sebastian was only paid $247,500, leaving $187,500 unpaid. Mr Sebastian paid $179,000 to his band and for other expenses for the tour. 'You'll see effectively when you look at it that Mr Sebastian, of the $247,000 paid to him, he had already paid out of his own pocket $179,000,' Mr Hatfield said. 'Effectively he cleared $68,000 out of which he also had to pay GST of $45,000. 'So effectively he made about $23,000 for those four performances, while the accused retained about $246,000, whereas he should have been paid $59,000 as his commission.' Guy Sebastian claims he was short-changed while performing as a support act to Taylor Swift. NewsWire/Gaye Gerard Credit: News Corp Australia It's alleged that Mr Sebastian was also not paid for corporate gigs, performances at the Opera House, a Big Bash game and Dreamworld and for singing at weddings in Italy and Sydney. The court was told that in 2018 he filed proceedings against Mr Day in the Federal Court that prompted his former manager and 6 Degrees to file a counterclaim Mr Sebastian took the stand before the lunch adjournment on Friday afternoon. He told the court that he first met Mr Day through the manager's wife, Courtney, whom he met via his record label. And three years after he won the inaugural Australian Idol, he agreed to join Mr Day, who was working at the 22 Management agency at the time. 'I was signed to Sony Music and one of the employees that I had a lot to do with on the recording side was Courtney Day,' Mr Sebastian told the court on Friday. 'And Courtney Day is married to Titus. And Courtney was recommending her husband as a manager.' The court has been told that in 2009, Mr Sebastian agreed to follow Mr Day when he opened his own agency, 6 Degrees. Taylor Swift toured with Mr Sebastian in 2013. NewsWire/Richard Dobson. Credit: NCA NewsWire Mr Day's barrister Thomas Woods, in his opening remarks to the jury on Friday morning, said his client firmly denied doing anything criminal. 'There will be no dispute that on some occasions money did come into that account which my client should have transferred onto Mr Sebastian but did not,' Mr Woods said. 'For many of the charges, the real question is not going to be whether my client failed to transfer the money to Mr Sebastian but whether his failure to do that was criminal.' He said there was a 'major dispute' in the case about whether there was any fraud or dishonesty in Mr Day's actions. 'The background is the breakdown of a personal relationship … and a commercial relationship between the two men that went on for many years,' Mr Woods said. 'What was once a close friendship and business relationship turned sour. Both men claimed that the other owed him money.' The trial before Judge Alister Abadee continues.
Toronto Star
10 hours ago
- Sport
- Toronto Star
‘I'm 19 years old and there's a naked girl in the room': Accused player Carter Hart testifies at Hockey Canada sex assault trial
If something 'disrespectful or degrading' happened while he was in a London, Ont., hotel room with a woman demanding to have sex with his teammates, Carter Hart says he would have stopped it or left. 'I can't see why I would have stayed in that room,' he testified Thursday, becoming the first accused player at the high-profile Hockey Canada sexual assault trial to take the stand in his own defence after the prosecution closed its case on Thursday. Canada The prosecution has closed. Here's how to understand the Crown's case in the Hockey Canada sex assault trial The Crown completed its evidence at the Hockey Canada sex assault trial on Thursday morning. Here's what you need to know to catch up, starting Canada The prosecution has closed. Here's how to understand the Crown's case in the Hockey Canada sex assault trial The Crown completed its evidence at the Hockey Canada sex assault trial on Thursday morning. Here's what you need to know to catch up, starting Hart, Michael McLeod, Alex Formenton, Dillon Dubé and Cal Foote, all former members of the 2018 Canadian world junior championship team, have pleaded not guilty to sexually assaulting the then-20-year-old woman in a room at the Delta Armouries hotel in the early hours of June 19, 2018. McLeod has also pleaded not guilty to being a party to a sexual assault for allegedly encouraging his teammates to engage in sexual activity with the woman when he knew she wasn't consenting. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW The complainant, whose identity is covered by a standard publication ban, had met McLeod at Jack's Bar and went back to his hotel where they had consensual sex, only for multiple members of the team to come in afterward, prompted by texts from McLeod. Testifying over nine days, the woman alleged the men placed a bedsheet on the floor and asked her to fondle herself, to perform oral sex on them while she was slapped and spat on, and to engage in vaginal intercourse. While she never said no nor physically resisted, the woman said she adopted the 'persona' of a 'porn star' and engaged in the sexual activity as a coping mechanism while being in a room surrounded by men she didn't know. Hart, who played as a goalie for the Philadelphia Flyers prior to his arrest, confirmed Thursday at the judge-alone trial under cross-examination by Formenton's lawyer, Hilary Dudding, that he never saw anyone spit on the complainant, nor mock or bully her, as she has testified. If he had: 'I would have said 'don't do that' or 'stop' or I would have just left.' Players Alex Formenton and Carter Hart arrive back at the Delta Armouries hotel early on June 19, 2018, with teammate Rob Thomas. Ontario Superior Court exhibit What he did see when he entered McLeod's room after a night of drinking was a naked woman masturbating on a bedsheet on the floor, asking the players around her: 'Can somebody come f—- me?' How were you feeling about that, Hart's lawyer, Megan Savard, asked him at the start of his testimony. 'Pretty excited,' said Hart, dressed in a burgundy suit and blue tie. 'I'm 19 years old and there's a naked girl in the room that was doing these things willingly. It was something I'd never seen before.' ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW He said he believed most of the men didn't want to have sex with the woman because they had girlfriends. Hart himself wasn't open to having intercourse, so testified that he asked instead: 'Can I get a blowie?' 'Meaning blowjob,' he clarified in his testimony. He said he recalled the woman saying something like 'yeah' or 'sure' as he walked toward her on the bedsheet, while she got up on her knees and moved toward him, grabbing his penis over the top of his pants and helping him to pull them down. The oral sex lasted about 30 seconds to a minute, as Hart said he couldn't get erect and was starting to feel uncomfortable. 'It was just a weird thing,' he said. 'There were other guys in the room looking and I do remember making eye contact with somebody. It was just, like, weird.' Hart maintained that his sexual contact with the complainant was consensual, and that he was in the room for about an hour. Just prior to the start of Hart's testimony on Thursday, the prosecution closed its case, one that primarily relies on the testimony of the complainant. Given that she couldn't identify most of the men who engaged with her, including Hart, the Crown also relied on the testimony of other players in the room who were not accused of any wrongdoing, to put names to alleged actions. But those witnesses also ended up posing challenges for the Crown, such as player Brett Howden, who agreed with a defence suggestion that what he saw in the room was '100 per cent consensual.' ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW A composite image of London police Det. Steve Newton's handwritten notes on the complainant's comments during a June 26, 2018, photo-identification interview. Ontario Superior Court Exhibit The world juniors were in London at the time to attend the Hockey Canada Foundation's annual Gala & Golf fundraising event and to receive their rings for winning the championship earlier that year. Hart's visit to McLeod's room was prompted by a text McLeod sent to a players' group chat just after 2 a.m. on June 19: 'Who wants to be in 3 way quick.' Hart replied within minutes: 'I'm in.' He testified Thursday he also spoke to McLeod on the phone. 'I do remember the gist of the conversation was Mike was with a girl back at the hotel that wanted to have sex with some of the boys,' Hart testified. 'Boys meaning some of my teammates.' McLeod himself will not be testifying at the trial, his lawyer David Humphrey confirmed in court Thursday, especially given the fact that the Crown already entered as evidence his video statement to police in 2018. In that interview, McLeod maintains that his sexual contact with the complainant was consensual and that she was demanding to have sex with players, and becoming upset when they wouldn't take her up on her offer. But McLeod also omits that he texted his teammates to come to his room for sexual activity. It remains to be seen whether Formenton, Dubé, and Foote will testify. They are not required to, as the burden of proving a criminal charge always remains with the Crown. Aside from the oral sex allegation against Hart, the Crown has also alleged that McLeod had intercourse with the woman a second time in the bathroom; Formenton separately had intercourse with her in the bathroom; McLeod and Dubé obtained oral sex; Dubé slapped her naked buttocks, and Foote did the splits over her body and his genitals 'grazed' her face. Hart testified he didn't witness most of what the Crown is alleging; he confirmed he didn't see anyone slap the complainant. He also recalled the woman and Formenton holding hands as they made their way to the bathroom. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW 'She was the one, not dragging him, but leading him into the bathroom,' he said. And he recalled Foote doing the splits over the woman's body while she was lying on the sheet on the floor between the two beds, but said Foote was clothed and that he didn't touch her body. Hart explained that the splits were a 'pretty cool thing' that Foote was able to do upon request; surveillance footage shows he did the splits on the dancefloor at Jack's earlier that night. Men in the hotel room were egging him on to do it again, Hart said. 'Like hey Footer, do the splits,' Hart said. 'That was just kind of a thing he did. He's a big, tall dude, super flexible.' He said everyone was laughing after Foote did the splits over the complainant — 'and I looked and I saw (the complainant) was laughing as well.' Cal Foote does the splits at Jack's Bar in London on the night of June 18-19, 2018, while teammates Brett Howden (on the far side of Foote, in white with a lighter-coloured backwards ball cap) and Dillon Dubé (in white on the near side of Foote) clear space on the dance floor. Ontario Superior Court exhibit Days later, on June 26, 2018, fear and panic set in among the team after they learned that Hockey Canada was looking into reports of an alleged sexual assault in the hotel room. They furiously texted each other back and forth in a group chat entered as evidence at the trial, with McLeod emphasizing that they should tell the truth and not make anything up. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW 'Honestly boys nobody did anything wrong,' Hart chimed in from Philadelphia, where he was at hockey development camp. 'Like we got consent to anything that she did, she was the one begging guys to bang her.' Savard asked her client for his understanding of the purpose of the text thread. 'I thought everybody was just telling the truth,' he said. 'Like there's nothing to hide, that we're just agreeing to tell the truth.' Messages from Carter Hart, in blue, from the player's group chat on June 26, 2018. Ontario Superior Court exhibit London police initially declined to lay charges in 2019 after the lead investigator wondered whether the complainant had been an 'active participant' in the room; Hockey Canada also shut down its probe after the complainant refused to participate. Both the organization and the police force reopened their investigations in 2022 amid intense public pressure after Hockey Canada settled, for an undisclosed sum, a $3.5-million sexual assault lawsuit filed by the complainant against the organization and eight unnamed John Doe players. The five men on trial were charged in 2024. Hockey Canada didn't tell the players of their intention to settle, nor that a claim had even been filed. Hart was playing tennis with his best friend when he found out. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Canada Why didn't police lay charges in 2019? Inside the London police investigations in the Hockey Canada sex assault case London police documents make clear the high-profile sex assault investigation was reopened in 2022 due to 'a resurgence in media attention' — with Canada Why didn't police lay charges in 2019? Inside the London police investigations in the Hockey Canada sex assault case London police documents make clear the high-profile sex assault investigation was reopened in 2022 due to 'a resurgence in media attention' — with 'I'll never forget the day,' he testified. 'I received a phone call from my agent telling me that Hockey Canada had settled on behalf of us without our knowledge or consent to the complainant, and that Hockey Canada was going to be reopening their investigation, and the police.' And so Hockey Canada never told you about this lawsuit, Savard pressed her client. 'No, I had been asked to even play for Team Canada that year,' Hart said. 'I had no idea.' Crown attorney Meaghan Cunningham will begin cross-examining Hart on Friday morning.
Global News
10 hours ago
- Global News
Family of man killed in Toronto bar fight with British soldier speaks at sentencing
Thirty-year-old Craig Gibson returned to Toronto from the United Kingdom on Thursday for his sentencing hearing after being found guilty of manslaughter by a jury in December. The British corporal walked into the Superior Courthouse with his fiancée by his side before the family of Brett Sheffield, the victim of the fatal assault, spoke about how his death has impacted their lives. Justin Leblanc, Sheffield's friend, said in his victim impact statement that he was there the night he died. 'I witnessed my best friend lying on the ground motionless after such an unnecessary and unprovoked attack,' said Leblanc. Sheffield's father told the court that he had lost his will and passion to continue since the death of his only son. 'Everything Brett did was so unselfish. He wanted to help everyone, and that was all taken away from him,' said Lyn Sheffield. Story continues below advertisement Sheffield's future in-laws also addressed the court and talked about how they had been excited to call him their son-in-law. 'Brett was always all in with endless encouragement. He ignited a light within our daughter we hadn't seen in years,' Dave Jansen told court, explaining that Sheffield not only embraced his daughter Kali but also his two grandchildren, whom he loved as his own. A bar fight on King Street It was Aug. 27, 2023, when Gibson and Sheffield met at Locals Only Bar. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Both men were visiting Toronto. Gibson was in town for a few days of relaxation on his way back to Scotland after his platoon had been invited to take part in a reconnaissance competition in Thunder Bay. Sheffield, a Winnipeg entrepreneur who owned a company called Next Generation, had flown into Toronto with a few colleagues for a business meeting. Story continues below advertisement Gibson and a fellow soldier started up a conversation with Sheffield's group about what Gibson was wearing. He was wearing a kilt and had come from the Blue Jays game. After both drank heavily, things soon changed. Assistant Crown Attorney Andrew Gibbons said the Crown's position is that Gibson was upset that Sheffield wouldn't give him more cocaine. Defence lawyer Adam Weisberg argued the Crown's theory was highly unlikely given Gibson was a soldier, knew he was likely to get drug tested upon his return from Canada and testified he had never done cocaine in his life. Video surveillance appeared to show words exchanged between the two before Sheffield took his shirt off. Gibson struck Sheffield at least three times, elbowing him twice in the head and neck before Gibson struck him twice more. Sheffield was rushed to hospital and died two days later. His cause of death was a ruptured artery in the neck caused by blunt force trauma. At trial, Gibson took the stand in his own defence, testifying that he thought that Sheffield had a knife and was acting in self-defence. Gibbons argued that a sentence of 6.5 years in a penitentiary would be appropriate given the aggressive and unprovoked nature of Gibson's attack on Sheffield. 'The set of circumstances requires a sentence to deter others from engaging in an act of violence,' said Gibbons. Story continues below advertisement 'This was not a one-punch case. He hit him forcefully in the head and neck, and used his elbow initially and then used upper punches. He had to be stopped by others or he would have kept going,' Gibbons added, arguing that Gibson was intent on a fight which Sheffield had declined. Weisberg said a more appropriate sentence would be two to three years in prison. 'There was a flurry of strikes because he perceived Sheffield had a knife. It is a case of bad luck for Mr. Gibson and even worse luck for Mr. Sheffield. Normally, these type of blows wouldn't kill an individual,' Weisberg explained. Weisberg said that his client is remorseful, has no criminal record and had no intention of killing Sheffield. Furthermore, Gibson is facing a dishonourable discharge after he's expected to walk into custody on Friday. 'He excelled in the army and is now being dishonourably discharged. He's being defined by this terrible situation involving alcohol and stupidity at a bar,' said Weisberg. Weisberg told court that Gibson is also committed to never drinking again, saying he hasn't had a drink in a year and a half. Superior Court Justice Katherine Corrick gave Gibson a chance to address the court before handing down her sentence. Gibson stood up and turned towards the family before apologizing. Story continues below advertisement 'I'm deeply sorry. Mr Sheffield did not deserve to die,' he said breathing heavily. 'It's something I have to live with for the rest of my life.' Corrick will deliver her sentence on June 10.
Global News
12 hours ago
- Global News
Missing Alberta inmate and boyfriend arrested in BC
An Alberta inmate who has been missing for weeks and her boyfriend have been arrested and charged in relation to allegations that an inmate was wrongfully released from jail as a result of forged documents. The inmate, Mackenzie Dawn Hardy, 24, and David Joseph Wood, 27, were apprehended by police this week in the BC interior. RCMP said on May 27, a patrol officer with Revelstoke RCMP spotted two people walking away from a stolen vehicle in the western BC community and recognized the couple as Hardy and Wood. Officers contained the area and arrested both suspects. They have since appeared before a justice of the peace and are in custody. On top of Hardy's existing outstanding warrants, RCMP said she has been charged with escaping lawful custody. RCMP have charged Wood with assisting escape of prisoner, identify fraud and uttering a forged document. Story continues below advertisement RCMP said the couple will be brought back to Alberta, and future court dates have yet to be set. 1:54 TikTok twist in case of suspect released by mistake Earlier this month, Global News was sent documents and email screenshots appearing to show how an alleged fake stay of proceedings letter tricked the justice system into letting out the woman, who then started sharing her life on the run on social media. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy The documents were sent to both Global News and Alberta Justice in one anonymous email. They include what appears to be that letter, along with court documents related to the charges and what look like interactions with people working in Alberta's justice system. The emails were dated April 25 — the day Hardy was released from the jail northeast of Edmonton. The Alberta Crown Prosecution Service said Hardy was released after the correctional centre was presented with fraudulent documents. Story continues below advertisement The correspondence uses the identity of a real Crown prosecutor (whose name Global News is not disclosing), but the email address was not the Crown's usual email address but looked similar to the standard email addresses used by the province's attorneys. They appear to show conversations with someone posing as a Crown prosecutor and Alberta Justice department employees. 1:42 Documents seem to show how Alberta inmate was wrongly released from jail The person who sent the documents to Global News used a Proton Mail email address, which is used by some people to remain anonymous and untraceable. The alleged fraudster claimed they do not know Hardy, have never spoken to her and picked her as their test subject because her court information was readily available. They said they acted alone and 'did it to expose how dangerously unprotected our justice system is.' The person claimed in the memo sent to Global News and Alberta Justice they had been quietly researching Alberta's court and corrections processes. Story continues below advertisement Their claims have not been proven and they would not disclose their identity to Global News. On Thursday, Red Deer RCMP said investigators determined Wood allegedly conspired with Hardy and assisted with the fraudulent release. Hardy was in custody at the Fort Saskatchewan Correctional Centre (FSCC), after being arrested in Red Deer twice in the span of a week for similar alleged offences back in March involving stolen vehicles, theft, possession of methamphetamine and driving without proper documentation. Hardy told Global News said she is innocent/not guilty of those charges. A fraudulent 'stay letter' was allegedly submitted under the name of a Crown prosecutor and sent through a bogus 'defence counsel,' according to a whistleblower Global News agreed not to identify due to the risk of them losing their job. RCMP said officials caught on to the fraudulent release four days after Hardy was inadvertently let go on April 25. Last week on May 23, an arrest warrant was also issued for Wood. Global News interviewed Hardy via a video call on May 17 after she surfaced online, posting videos to TikTok under the handle 2:09 Wanted suspect talks about mistaken release The first post on the account contained Global News' first story about her release. In some of the videos, she appears to taunt police and the justice system. Story continues below advertisement Hardy did not tell Global News where she was, only stating she wasn't in Alberta anymore and had nothing to do with her own release. Alberta RCMP thanked their B.C. counterparts for helping in the search for the couple.
Global News
14 hours ago
- Global News
Publication ban lifted for 3 siblings killed in crash with alleged drunk driver in Toronto
A publication ban covering the identities of the three siblings who died in a crash involving a suspected impaired, speeding driver has been lifted at the request of Crown prosecutors. On Thursday, an Ontario court removed the ban which had previously forbidden the naming of 15-year-old Ramone, 13-year-old Jace and six-year-old Mya Laviña-Galve. The family of the children has indicated the funeral service is planned for June 13 and 14. The three siblings died in the early hours of Sunday, May 18, after their family car was struck while waiting at a red light by an allegedly drunk driver coming off Highway 401 in Etobicoke. At the time, Toronto police said a Chrysler Pacifica was sitting at a red light on Renforth Drive when a speeding Dodge Caravan, leaving Highway 401, lost control and collided with the minivan. Story continues below advertisement Two of the siblings were killed in the crash, and a third died in hospital. The only surviving child and their mother were both taken to hospital and expected to make a recovery. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Cousins told how the family was returning from watching a long-weekend fireworks display in Milton and visiting grandparents when the tragic crash happened around 12:30 a.m. 'They went to watch fireworks in Milton, it was a day event, there was activity with horses, they were there with other cousins, just a family fireworks day for the long weekend,' a cousin said in an interview after the crash. They said the mother — also named Jace — remembered the details of the crash clearly. 'She remembers everything pretty vividly, she remembers the car coming so fast towards them,' they said. Another cousin said, 'She thought it was a dream, she can't imagine this car going this fast, this can't be real.' The family requested the publication ban be lifted, court heard. A GoFundMe set up for the family has surpassed $230,000 in contributions. 'The Laviña-Galve Family, a family that is so core to our community, now needs our support during this incredibly difficult time,' the GoFundMe read. Story continues below advertisement We humbly request your assistance to help them navigate this dark period be it through donation or spreading awareness for them. Additionally, we ask for your prayers, that the grieving family may find strength, hope, and the courage to overcome this heart-wrenching tragedy.' The 19-year-old accused of causing the crash and driving impaired appeared briefly in court on Thursday. Ethan Lehouillier, from Georgetown, was arrested at the scene of the crash. He was charged with three counts of both impaired driving causing death and of dangerous driving causing death. In total, Lehouillier faces 12 charges. His lawyer said he would not seek bail. Lehouillier returns to court on June 17. — with files from Global News' Catherine McDonald
