A composite image of five photographs show former members of Canada's 2018 World Juniors hockey team, left to right, Alex Formenton, Cal Foote, Michael McLeod, Dillon Dube and Carter Hart as they individually arrived to court in London, Ont., Wednesday, April 30, 2025. (Photo: Canadian Press)

By Canadian Press

All five former junior hockey players acquitted in high-profile sexual assault trial

Jul 24, 2025 | 1:18 PM

Five former members of Canada’s world junior hockey team have been found not guilty of sexual assault in an encounter with a woman at a London, Ont., hotel room seven years ago.

One of the players, Michael McLeod, has also been acquitted of a separate charge of being a party to the offence of sexual assault.

Ontario Superior Court Justice Maria Carroccia delivered her ruling this afternoon to a packed courtroom, capping off a complex trial that captured national attention this spring.

The case centred on an encounter that took place in the early hours of June 19, 2018, as many members of that year’s national junior team were in town for a series of events celebrating their gold-medal performance.

Court heard the complainant had sex with McLeod, who she had met at a downtown bar earlier that night, in his hotel room — an encounter that was not part of the trial.

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The charges related to what happened after several other players came into the room, with consent a central issue in the case.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 24, 2025.