‘Set up for group sex’: Shocking final claims rock Hockey Canada trial as judge prepares landmark ruling on July 24

The quiet courtroom in London, Ontario, became the stage for a tense legal battle this week as prosecutors made their final arguments in the sexual assault trial of five former members of Canada's 2018 World Junior hockey team.

The accused, Michael McLeod, Carter Hart, Alex Formenton, Dillon Dube, and Callan Foote, all pleaded not guilty to sexual assault charges stemming from an incident in a hotel room on June 19, 2018. McLeod faces an additional charge of being a party to the offense.

The woman, whose identity is protected by a publication ban, alleges she was sexually assaulted after initially having consensual sex with McLeod.


Justice Maria Carroccia is expected to deliver her verdict on July 24, a date keenly awaited by all involved in this landmark case.

The closing statements

The defense, throughout their closing submissions, has consistently challenged the complainant’s credibility, arguing she actively participated and even initiated some sexual acts. They suggested her claims were part of an "agenda" tied to a civil lawsuit settled earlier by Hockey Canada. Only Carter Hart, among the accused, took the stand, while others relied on previous police interviews and presented arguments through their lawyers.

Crown attorney Meaghan Cunningham argued fiercely on Wednesday(June 10) that Michael McLeod "set up" the woman by inviting teammates to his hotel room for group sexual activity without her knowledge or consent.

She pointed to a text McLeod sent to a team group chat offering a "three-way quick" and another to a teammate suggesting a "gummer," a slang term for oral sex. Cunningham painted a picture of a woman shocked and disoriented by the unexpected arrival of multiple men, arguing she "did not voluntarily agree to the sexual acts."

She urged Justice Maria Carroccia to reject the defense's claim that the woman instigated the group activity, highlighting the absence of supporting evidence and the woman's consistent testimony of shock.

The trial also brought to light a 2018 interview where McLeod told police he didn't know how teammates kept showing up, a statement Cunningham now calls a "pivotal" lie designed to craft a self-serving narrative. She contrasted this with the testimony of two Crown witnesses, Boris Katchouk and Taylor Raddysh, who described the woman as quiet and under the covers when they briefly entered the room, making no overt sexual invitations.

This, Cunningham argued, directly contradicts the defense's assertion that the woman was the "sexual aggressor."

This trial has gone beyond the courtroom walls, with public demonstrations and intense scrutiny from media and fans, raising broader questions about accountability in sports and the culture within elite hockey.