Five ice hockey players found not guilty in Canada sexual assault case

A judge in Ontario on Thursday acquitted five Canadian ice hockey players who had sexually assaulted a woman.

Justice Maria Carroccia reviewed the evidence and testimony from the highly anticipated eight-week trial over the course of several hours before finding the defendants not guilty.

The former World Junior Hockey players of Canada’s world championship hockey team are accused of assaulting the woman, known as EM, in a hotel room in London, Ontario, in 2018 after they had attended a Hockey Canada gala.

The trial’s main concern was whether EM, who was 20 at the time, had given his or her consent to every sexual act performed that night.

The players’ attorneys claimed that she consented to the players having sex with her and that she had asked them to.

Even though one player was playing in Europe, Michael McLeod, Dillon Dube, Cal Foote, Alex Formenton, and Carter Hart were all NHL players when the allegations first came out. One, Mr. Hart, made a defense testimony.

Justice Carroccia cited contradictions in EM’s testimony, including who had purchased drinks that night, in her explanation for her decision, and claimed that EM’s statements reflected an “uncertain memory” that did not align with the evidence presented in the trial.

The woman’s statements to police investigators and those made by Hockey Canada, which settled a C $ 2.5 million ($2.5 million, $ 1.9 million) lawsuit for an undisclosed sum in 2022, were different, according to the judge.

The Crown argued that the woman’s testimony was accurate throughout the trial, that drinking alcohol does not mean being unreliable, and that any contradictions in her testimony were minor.

The woman claimed that she had initially reported the alleged assault to police in 2018, four years before bringing the lawsuit against Hockey Canada. She added that she had no intention of fabricating a story.

However, eyewitness testimony, which included statements from other players staying in the hotel room that night but who were not charged, allegedly made it clear that EM’s testimony was being undermined.

More details will be released as soon as this breaking news story is updated. For the most accurate version, kindly refresh the page.