More legal arguments are expected this week in the sexual assault case of five former members of Canada’s world junior hockey team as they prepare to face trial this spring.
Dillon Dube, Carter Hart, Michael McLeod, Cal Foote and Alex Formenton were charged with sexual assault early last year in an incident that allegedly took place in London, Ont., nearly six years earlier.
Ottawa Senators’ Alex Formenton during an NHL hockey game in Philadelphia, Friday, April 29, 2022; New Jersey Devils defenceman Cal Foote before an NHL hockey game in Newark, N.J., Friday, Oct. 27, 2023; New Jersey Devils’ Michael McLeod during an NHL hockey game in Philadelphia, Thursday, Nov. 30, 2023; Calgary Flames centre Dillon Dube during an NHL hockey game in Detroit, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023 and Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Carter Hart during an NHL hockey game in Uniondale, N.Y., Saturday, April 3, 2021.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Matt Slocum, Noah K. Murray, Matt Slocum, Paul Sancya, Corey Sipkin
McLeod is facing an additional charge of being a party to the offence of sexual assault.
All five players are expected to plead not guilty. A jury trial is set to begin in London on April 22 before Superior Court Justice Maria Carroccia.
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None of the evidence or arguments presented in this week’s hearings — or a stretch of similar hearings held last fall — can be reported at this time due to a publication ban.
An initial police investigation was closed without charges in 2019 and then reopened three years later. Police have given little information on the investigations but said they were able to lay charges after collecting new evidence.
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