Warning: Story contains graphic content about alleged sexual assault
An Ontario judge acquitted five former members of Canada’s world junior hockey team Thursday in their sexual assault case. Superior Court Justice Maria Carroccia said the complainant’s allegations lacked the credibility needed to justify the charges.
The judge said prosecutors couldn’t meet the burden of proof against Michael McLeod, Carter Hart, Alex Formenton, Dillon Dube and Callan Foote.
All five players had pleaded not guilty to sexual assault charges stemming from an encounter in a London, Ontario hotel room on June 19, 2018.
Years of speculation surrounded the allegations. A lawsuit settlement, parliamentary hearings and investigations by police, Hockey Canada and the NHL all preceded the trial earlier this year.
The case included a mistrial and jury dismissal, leaving the verdict to Carroccia alone.
Carroccia spent about five hours explaining her reasoning for the acquittals. She highlighted the complainant’s “tendency to blame others” for inconsistencies in her allegations. The judge also said the woman went to “great lengths” to emphasize she was drunk throughout the night.
That claim wasn’t supported by surveillance video from a bar and hotel that night, according to Carroccia.
McLeod was also acquitted on a separate count of being party to the offense. It’s an unusual charge more typically seen in murder cases.
The players are now between 25 and 27 years old. They were in London at the time for a gala and golf tournament celebrating their championship victory.
They walked out of the courthouse surrounded by family members after the verdict.
Their lawyers called the result a “resounding vindication.”
Karen Bellehumeur, the woman’s lawyer, told reporters her client was devastated.
“She’s really never experienced not being believed like this before. She agreed to do everything asked of her by the criminal justice system. She spoke to the police whenever requested, she reviewed her evidence, she prepared her testimony, she answered every question, she spoke with intelligence and from her heart, yet it was not enough.”
The NHL said the players remained ineligible while it reviews the judge’s findings. None currently has an NHL roster spot or active contract.
The league added that the allegations were disturbing, even if not determined to be criminal.
The NHL Players Association said the five should have the opportunity to return to the ice. The union called the league’s eligibility ruling “inconsistent” with discipline procedures in the collective bargaining agreement.
Prosecutor Meaghan Cunningham thanked the complainant for coming forward. Her team will “carefully review” the judge’s decision during the 30-day appeal period.
Trial Details
The woman testified in May that she was naked, drunk and scared when four of the men showed up unexpectedly in her Delta Hotel room. She felt the only “safe” option was doing what they wanted.
Prosecutors argued the players acted without ensuring she was voluntarily consenting to sexual acts.
“I made the choice to dance with them and drink at the bar, I did not make the choice to have them do what they did back at the hotel.”
Defense attorneys cross-examined her for days. They suggested she actively participated in or initiated sexual activity because she wanted a “wild night.”
Two short videos taken by McLeod that night were played in court. In one, the woman says it was “all consensual,” though she testified that wasn’t how she truly felt.
Protesters gathered outside the packed London courthouse Thursday morning. They held signs supporting the complainant, whose identity wasn’t disclosed under Canadian law.
Investigation Timeline
The public didn’t learn of these allegations for years. Police closed their initial investigation without charges in early 2019.
The complainant sued Hockey Canada in 2022. The organization settled the lawsuit amid scrutiny that cost it sponsors.
Police reopened their investigation after the settlement.
The players’ identities became public when they were charged in early 2024. At the time, four played in the NHL.
Dube played for the Calgary Flames. Hart was with the Philadelphia Flyers. McLeod and Foote were on the New Jersey Devils.
Formenton had previously played for the Ottawa Senators before joining a Swiss team.
All went on indefinite leave after the charges. None currently has an NHL roster spot or active contract.
The NHL launched its own investigation in 2022. Commissioner Gary Bettman said in February the league would release findings depending on what it can say given legal proceedings.
