Judge rules in ice hockey trial: Who is guilty of sexual assault?

Judge rules in ice hockey trial: Who is guilty of sexual assault?

The current developments in the sexual offenses trial against five former members of the Canadian U20 ice hockey team, including Michael McLeod, Carter Hart, Alex Formenton, Dillon Dube and Callan Foote, are causing excitement. On July 24, 2025, an Ontario judge issued his sentence based on an incident that occurred on the night of June 19, 2018 in a hotel room in London, Ontario. All defendants pleaded not guilty, further complicating the process of coming to terms with these tragic events.

The alleged victim, E.M., spoke in court. Her statement revealed that she experienced numerous assaults during the incident, which was marked by a night of partying. E.M. reported that she initially had consensual sex with McLeod before being assaulted by multiple players. Despite her attempts to leave the hotel room, her efforts were thwarted by the players, adding to her sense of powerlessness and shaping the night's controversy. According to her statements, there were discussions among the players about the sexual acts and McLeod even urged them to say on camera that everything was consensual.

Insights into the conduct of negotiations

As Elliot Lake Today reports, the judge summarized both the defense and prosecution arguments. While the defense emphasized that the videos show the complainant's consent and that her statements were inconsistent, the prosecution questioned the defendant's credibility. In particular, reference was made to text messages that indicated collaboration between the defendants to construct a story about the events.

Carter Hart was the only one of the five defendants to testify in his own defense. He stated that he had been drunk and recalled details which were strongly refuted by the complainant. Videos presented as evidence featured E.M. and were described by her as inauthentic to her feelings at the time. It was also noted that E.M. only informed the police after a tip from her mother.

Public support and protest

The trial took place in a full courtroom, which underlines the social relevance of this case. Supporters of E.M. gathered outside the courthouse to show their solidarity with survivors of sexual assault. This shows how important public awareness and support is in such complex cases.

The debate about sexual violence in sport is not new, but it gains additional explosiveness through processes like this. In a case study on sexualized violence in sport, it becomes clear that there is an urgent need to deal with such incidents in the world of sport. The case is expected to continue for several weeks, with expectations high for a fair and just verdict.