The five former members of Canada’s 2018 world junior hockey team, left to right, Alex Formenton, Cal Foote, Michael McLeod, Dillon Dube and Carter Hart.
Canada world junior hockey sex assault case ends in mistrial. New trial to begin immediately
The reasons for the mistrial are covered by a publication ban intended to protect the fair trial rights of five hockey players. A new trial will begin Friday.
The five former members of Canada’s 2018 world junior hockey team, left to right, Alex Formenton, Cal Foote, Michael McLeod, Dillon Dube and Carter Hart.
LONDON, Ont.鈥擜 new 14-person jury will hear the case of five professional hockey players accused of sexual assault after a judge declared a mistrial and dismissed the previous jury on Friday.听听
Michael McLeod, Carter Hart , Alexandar Formenton, Dillon Dub茅, Callan Foote are shown in court in this courtroom sketch on Wednesday.
Alexandra Newbould/The Canadian Press
Superior Court Justice Maria Carroccia’s reasons for the mistrial are covered for now by a publication ban intended to protect the fair trial rights of the accused men. The first trial’s jury had only been selected three days earlier and had barely heard any evidence. The Crown is expected to open its case to the second trial’s jury on Monday.听
Michael McLeod, Alex Formenton, Carter Hart, Dillon Dub茅, and Cal Foote had pleaded not guilty to sexually assaulting a then-20-year-old woman in the early hours of June 19, 2018, in a room at the Delta Armouries hotel. McLeod had also pleaded not guilty to a charge of being a party to a sexual assault.听听
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An Ontario judge has declared a mistrial in the sexual assault case of five former members of Canada鈥檚 world junior hockey team. (April 25, 2025 / The Canadian Press)
鈥淚 am sorry to have to tell you that I鈥檝e declared a mistrial in this case,鈥 Carroccia told the first trial鈥檚 jury Friday morning.
鈥淎s a result of that, this jury is discharged. Thanks very much for your attention and service, although it was brief. So you are now free to go.鈥
The court immediately proceeded to jury selection for the second trial, with all five men standing between their legal teams as they once again formally entered their pleas of not guilty.听
All but Formenton were playing in the NHL when they were arrested in January 2024: McLeod and Foote were with the New Jersey Devils, Hart with the Philadelphia Flyers, and Dub茅 with the Calgary Flames. Formenton, who previously played with the Ottawa Senators, was with Swiss team HC Ambri-Piotta.听
Their trial had barely begun before Carroccia shut it down. The jury of 11 women and three men had only heard the Crown’s opening statement providing an overview of its case against the players, and then brief testimony from the prosecution’s first witness, a London police detective.
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Once again on Friday, 14 jurors were chosen to sit on the jury, although only 12 of them will deliberate on a verdict at the end of the trial. Carroccia ordered that jurors be paid $150 a day for the duration of the trial, to alleviate the financial hardship jury duty may pose for some people.
Carroccia told more than 100 prospective jurors that serving on a jury 鈥渋s one of the most important responsibilities that you can be called upon to perform as a citizen of Canada.听
鈥淥ur justice system is envied around the world. Trial by jury stands as one of its pillars. It is one of the institutions that marks Canada as a free and democratic country.鈥
Jacques Gallant is a Toronto-based reporter covering courts,
justice and legal affairs for the Star. Reach him by email
at听jgallant@thestar.ca or
follow him on Twitter:
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