The charges in the case relate to an alleged incident that occurred at a London hotel in June 2018
Five former members of Canada's world junior hockey team, accused of sexual assault in a 2018 incident in London, Ont., have chosen to be tried by jury.
Dillon Dobie, Carter Hart, Michael McLeod, Cal Foote and Alex Formenton were charged with sexual assault last month. McLeod also faces an additional charge of sexual assault for being a “party to the crime.”
In a joint statement, their lawyers said the five players opted for a jury trial earlier this week, and they are “confident that community-based jurors will decide this case fairly and impartially after hearing all of the evidence and testimony.”
The charges in the case relate to an alleged incident that occurred in a London hotel in June 2018, after members of the World Junior Team celebrated their gold medal victory.
The investigation was initially closed without charges in 2019 but was reopened in 2022.
London's police chief, who took up the position last year, apologized to the complainant earlier this month for the delay in bringing charges in the case, but did not explain the reason for the delay, citing the court case.
The case has cast a national spotlight on how law enforcement agencies and sports organizations handle sexual assault allegations.
Hockey Canada and the National Hockey League, where four of the five accused now play, have begun their own investigations, the results of which have not been made public.
Dube plays for the Calgary Flames, Hart with the Philadelphia Flyers, and McLeod and Foote with the New Jersey Devils. Formenton previously played for the Ottawa Senators before joining a team in Switzerland. All five players have been allowed to go on indefinite leave.
The players' lawyers said their clients will defend themselves against lawsuits in this case.
Jury trials are available for those accused of the most serious crimes, known as indictable crimes, such as murder. It may also be an option for those accused of so-called hybrid crimes, such as sexual assault.
The case is scheduled to return to court on April 30.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 28, 2024.