In a high-profile case in London, Ontario, five former world junior hockey players face sexual assault charges stemming from an incident in 2018. During the opening statements, the Crown emphasized that while the complainant did not vocally decline or was not physically restrained, she did not consent to the actions taken against her. The trial, expected to last about eight weeks, will examine the nuances of consent under the guidance of Justice Maria Carroccia. The accused have pleaded not guilty, and the prosecution aims to clarify the distinction between implied consent and lack of consent.
The woman at the center of the case against five former world junior hockey players accused of sexual assault didn't say 'no' and wasn't physically restrained, but she also didn't consent to what happened in a hotel room in June 2018.
This is a case about consent and equally as important, this is a case about what is not consent, assistant Crown prosecutor Heather Donkers told 14 jurors.
The accused are Michael McLeod, Dillon Dube, Cal Foote, Alex Formenton, and Carter Hart, who all went on to sign with NHL teams after junior careers that saw the 2018 Canadian squad win the world title.
All five men are charged with one count of sexual assault. McLeod faces an additional charge of being a party to an offence allegedly for his role in helping and encouraging his teammates to engage sexually with the complainant even though she didn't consent.
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