Crown Argues Former Canadian Junior Hockey Stars ‘Acted Without Consent’ in High-Profile Sexual Assault Trial

Five former members of Canada’s national junior hockey team are on trial in London, Ontario, facing serious allegations that they sexually assaulted a young woman in June 2018. Prosecutors claim the players exploited the complainant’s intoxicated state to engage in sexual acts without her explicit consent, turning a consensual encounter into a traumatic experience.

The accused players—Dillon Dube, Carter Hart, Michael McLeod, Cal Foote, and Alex Formenton—all pleaded not guilty to charges of sexual assault. McLeod faces an additional charge of facilitating sexual assault. During opening arguments, Crown prosecutor Heather Donkers outlined disturbing details, alleging the players took advantage of a vulnerable woman who had initially consented to a sexual encounter only with McLeod.

The incident allegedly occurred after a gala event attended by team members. The complainant, whose identity is protected by a publication ban, reportedly consumed around eight alcoholic drinks before willingly accompanying McLeod to his hotel room, where they engaged in consensual sex. According to prosecutors, the situation quickly escalated as McLeod invited his teammates to the room while the complainant was still naked under the covers.

Evidence presented in court includes text messages in which McLeod allegedly invited teammates to participate in group sex, leading to nearly a dozen players entering the room. Prosecutors say the complainant, feeling intoxicated, uncomfortable, and unsure how to react, engaged in sexual activities she did not explicitly consent to, but felt compelled to perform under the circumstances.

The Crown detailed disturbing allegations: Hart, Dube, and McLeod are accused of coercing oral sex from the complainant; Dube allegedly struck her; Formenton is accused of sexually assaulting her in the bathroom; Foote allegedly performed a sexually humiliating act; and McLeod allegedly assaulted her a second time at the end of the night. The prosecution also alleges McLeod actively encouraged teammates, despite knowing the complainant had not clearly consented.

The prosecutor emphasized to jurors that the complainant is expected to testify she never explicitly refused nor physically resisted—but did not willingly agree either. She reportedly described merely trying to “get through the night” by doing what she believed was expected. The Crown underscored the legal importance of clear, affirmative consent, arguing the players did nothing to verify consent but instead “did what they wanted.”

The trial, expected to run for eight weeks, will delve deeply into the nuances of consent and the responsibility of individuals to clearly establish mutual willingness before engaging in sexual acts.