Crown continues closing submissions in world junior sex assault trial

Prosecutors are expected to continue their closing submissions Thursday at the sexual assault trial of five former members of Canada's world junior hockey team.

Prosecutors are expected to continue their closing submissions Thursday at the sexual assault trial of five former members of Canada’s world junior hockey team.

Prosecutor Meaghan Cunningham argued Wednesday that Michael McLeod invited his teammates into his London, Ont., hotel room for group sexual activity without the complainant’s knowledge or consent, which she said paints the evidence of all other witnesses in “a very different light.”

Cunningham argued the woman did not voluntarily agree to the sexual acts that took place in the early morning hours of June 19, 2018, nor did the players take reasonable steps to confirm her consent.

Consent is a central issue in the trial, which began in late April.

Michael McLeod, Carter Hart, Alex Formenton, Dillon Dube, and Callan Foote have pleaded not guilty to sexual assault, while McLeod has also pleaded not guilty to an additional charge of being a party to the offence of sexual assault.

Defence lawyers made their submissions to the judge earlier this week, taking aim at the complainant’s credibility and reliability as a witness and arguing she actively participated in the sexual activity that night.