National

Defence lawyers continue submissions at hockey players' sex assault trial

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 10 Jun, 2025 11:30 AM

Defence lawyers for five former members of Canada's world junior hockey team are continuing to hammer at the credibility of the complainant as they make final submissions at the players' sexual assault trial.

A lawyer representing Alex Formenton is arguing that video evidence from the bar where the woman first encountered several of the players contradicts her testimony that she was plied with alcohol and separated from her friends, and that she was extremely intoxicated.

Daniel Brown has repeatedly argued the woman lied or embellished in her testimony, and that her account of what happened evolved over time.

Court heard submissions Monday from lawyers representing Michael McLeod and Carter Hart.

McLeod's lawyer, David Humphrey, argued the complainant has presented an "entirely unbelievable and unreliable" version of the events at the heart of the trial.

McLeod, Hart, Formenton and their former teammates Dillon Dube and Callan Foote have pleaded not guilty to sexual assault.

McLeod has also pleaded not guilty to an additional charge of being a party to the offence of sexual assault.

The charges relate to an encounter with a woman in a London, Ont., hotel room in June 2018, at a time when many of the team's members were in town for events celebrating their championship win.

Picture Courtesy: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nicole Osborne

Prev Next

MORE National ARTICLES

Trudeau says the U.S. launched a 'very dumb' trade war and Canada is fighting back

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the U.S. has launched a "dumb" continental trade war and Canada is fighting back. He said Canada is immediately introducing 25 per cent retaliatory tariffs on $30 billion worth of American products, and will expand them to cover another $125 billion in U.S. goods in 21 days.

Trudeau says the U.S. launched a 'very dumb' trade war and Canada is fighting back

Canadian recession looms this year if U.S. tariffs stay in place: economists

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said Canada's response will include retaliatory tariffs on $155 billion worth of American goods. That will include tariffs on $30 billion worth of goods immediately and tariffs on the remaining $125 billion worth of American products 21 days later.

Canadian recession looms this year if U.S. tariffs stay in place: economists

U.S. tariffs set to slow pace of homebuilding in Canada: CHBA

Canada's building industry says a trade war with the United States will slow down the pace of home construction. Canadian Home Builders' Association CEO Kevin Lee says the U.S. tariffs levied against Canada today will have a "muted" impact on the industry on their own.

U.S. tariffs set to slow pace of homebuilding in Canada: CHBA

Canada and U.S. stock markets plunge for a second day after trade war launched

North American stock markets plunged for a second day as the U.S. imposed broad tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico, triggering a continental trade war. The S&P/TSX composite index was down 547.26 points at 24,454.31, after U.S. President Donald Trump's executive order implementing the tariffs took effect at just after midnight.

Canada and U.S. stock markets plunge for a second day after trade war launched

B.C. Finance Minister Brenda Bailey on track to deliver budget as Trump slaps tariffs

One day before delivering her first budget, British Columbia's finance minister said she knows that everyone is wondering how it can be done in the face of unprecedented tariffs from the United States. It is not time to make "deep cuts," Brenda Bailey told reporters on Monday, but a time to plan for uncertainty and ensure programs and services are protected.

B.C. Finance Minister Brenda Bailey on track to deliver budget as Trump slaps tariffs

U.S. plans to nearly triple anti-dumping duty on Canadian softwood as tariffs loom

British Columbia Premier David Eby says news that the U.S. Department of Commerce wants to almost triple the anti-dumping duties on Canadian softwood lumber is a "massive threat" to the province's forestry sector. The American department issued a preliminary anti-dumping rate of 20.07 per cent, up from 7.66 per cent set three years ago, which is in addition to countervailing duties of 6.74 per cent.