Five former World Junior hockey players accused of sexually assaulting a woman in a hotel room have been found not guilty.
A judge delivered the verdicts during an hours-long judgment in a London, Ont., courtroom on Thursday.
Michael McLeod, Carter Hart, Alex Formenton, Dillon Dube and Cal Foote, members of the 2018 team, were accused of sexually assaulting a woman in June of that year.
They all pleaded not guilty to the charges involving the complainant, identified in court documents as E.M. McLeod also pleaded not guilty to being a party to an offence.
Ontario Superior Court Justice Maria Carroccia said the Crown did not prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt, adding she did not find the complainant’s testimony to be “credible or reliable.”
The charges were laid in 2022, and the trial for all players began in the spring. It included testimony from E.M. and one of the players.
The case sent shockwaves through the hockey community and brought the issue of consent and hockey culture to life.
The Crown has 30 days to file a notice of appeal.
Comments