All Five Found Not Guilty in Hockey Canada Trial

All five members of Canada's 2018 world junior jockey team who were on trial for sexual assault have been found not guilty in today's final decision by the court.

A judge-only decision delivered by Justice Maria Carroccia of the London Ontario Superior Court has concluded the highly publicized Hockey Canada trial. The men were all arrested in early 2024.

In 2018, a woman known only as E.M. (a standard measure to protect her privacy) accused the men of sexually assaulting her in a hotel room in London, Ontario, where the men were staying for a Hockey Canada gala. The case was closed by the police in 2019, but was reopened in 2022 when it was reported that Hockey Canada, the governing body for ice hockey in Canada, had quietly settled the case with the defendant.

The scandal has drawn significant media attention due to the high profile of the defendants and what the case might mean for the justice system's definition of what constitutes consent. Supporters for E.M. were gathered around the courthouse.

Today's proceedings included Carroccia recounting the evidence presented by the Crown and the defense. The day began with a revelation from the judge that she did not find E.M. "credible or reliable".