Former World Junior Hockey Players Acquitted in London Sexual Assault Trial

An Ontario judge delivered a verdict on Thursday, acquitting five former members of Canada's world junior hockey team in their sexual assault case. The judge stated that the complainant's allegations lacked the necessary credibility to warrant the charges.

Superior Court Justice Maria Carroccia determined that the prosecution failed to meet the burden of proof required for the charges against Michael McLeod, Carter Hart, Alex Formenton, Dillon Dube, and Callan Foote. The identities of the players were made public when they were charged earlier in 2024. At the time, four of them were playing in the NHL. All five players had pleaded not guilty to the charges, which stemmed from an encounter in a London, Ontario, hotel room in June 2018.

The judge spent five hours detailing the reasoning behind the acquittals, emphasizing the complainant's tendency to blame others for inconsistencies in her allegations. The judge also noted that the woman's claims of being heavily intoxicated were not supported by surveillance footage and witness testimonies. McLeod was also acquitted of a separate charge.

The players, who are now between 25 and 27 years old, were in London for a championship victory gala and golf tournament at the time of the incident. The complainant testified that she felt the only "safe" option was to comply with the men's actions. Defense attorneys argued that she actively participated in or initiated sexual activity. Two short videos taken by McLeod were presented in court.

The public was unaware of the allegations for several years. Police initially closed their investigation without charges in 2019, but the complainant sued Hockey Canada in 2022. The organization settled the lawsuit, leading to a reopened police investigation. The NHL also launched its own investigation in 2022.