Lawyers for 5 Ex-Canadian World Junior Hockey Players Appear in Court in Sex Assault Case

Ottawa — Lawyers for five former Canadian world junior hockey players made a brief appearance in court on Thursday in connection with an alleged sexual assault incident in 2018. The five players, who cannot be named due to a publication ban, are facing charges of sexual assault and assault. They made their first appearance in court since the charges were laid in June of this year. The allegations stem from an incident that occurred during the 2018 World Junior Hockey Championships in Buffalo, New York. A young woman alleged that she was sexually assaulted by the players in a hotel room after a game. The charges against the players have sparked significant controversy and led to calls for an independent investigation into the handling of the case by Hockey Canada, the governing body for hockey in Canada. In court on Thursday, the lawyers for the players requested an adjournment of the case to allow for further disclosure of evidence. The judge granted the request and set the matter over to November 25th. The players remain free on bail and are subject to a number of conditions, including not having any contact with each other or the alleged victim. The case is being closely watched by the Canadian public and the hockey community. The outcome of the trial is expected to have significant implications for Hockey Canada and for the culture of sexual assault in sports.In London, Ontario, lawyers representing five former Canadian world junior hockey players accused of sexual assault appeared in court on Tuesday. The defense and prosecution are currently determining dates for future proceedings.In London, Ontario, lawyers representing five former Canadian world junior hockey players accused of sexual assault appeared in court on Tuesday. The defense and prosecution are currently determining dates for future proceedings. The players, Cal Foote, Dillon Dubé, Michael McLeod, Alex Formenton, and Carter Hart, were not present at the virtual assignment court appearance. They are not expected to appear until pretrial motions begin in early September. During this phase, attorneys will debate which evidence will be presented during the trial before Justice Bruce Thomas of the Ontario Superior Court. Regional Senior Justice Renee Pomerance will oversee the judicial pretrial. This stage allows defense and prosecution lawyers to raise concerns or disagreements about the case with the judge, excluding the defendants, jury, and media. Pretrial motions will take place on August 7th, where Justice Thomas will consider arguments regarding the admissibility of evidence. McLeod, Foote, Dubé, Hart, and Formenton each face one charge of sexual assault. McLeod is also charged with one count of being a party to the offense. The alleged incident occurred in June 2018 in a London hotel room following a Hockey Canada gala after the world junior team won a gold medal. To protect the identity of the victim and two witnesses, a publication ban is in effect. All players have pleaded not guilty and have requested a jury trial.Five former members of Canada’s world junior hockey team appeared briefly in court on Friday facing sexual assault charges stemming from an alleged incident in 2018. The five players – who cannot be named due to a publication ban – were charged in connection with an alleged incident involving a young woman in London, Ont. The charges were laid in May 2022, following a lengthy investigation by the London Police Service. The players’ lawyers appeared in court on Friday for a brief procedural hearing. The case has been adjourned until July 28. The players have not yet entered pleas to the charges. The alleged incident is said to have occurred during a Hockey Canada Foundation gala event in London in June 2018. Hockey Canada is the governing body for amateur hockey in Canada. It has been under fire in recent months over its handling of sexual assault allegations involving its players. In May, Hockey Canada announced that it would be freezing funding to the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) – the major junior hockey league in Canada – until it implements new policies and procedures to address sexual violence. The CHL has since announced that it will be implementing a number of new measures to address sexual violence, including mandatory training for players and staff, and a new independent reporting mechanism for victims.