London, Ont., police expected to address sex assault charges against 5 ex-world junior hockey players

RCI

Case reopened after police investigated in 2018 but didn’t recommend charges

WARNING: This article contains graphic content and may affect those who have experienced​ ​​​sexual violence or know someone affected by it.

Police in London, Ont., will speak at a 2 p.m. ET news conference today and it’s expected they’ll provide more details about the sexual assault charges against five players who were members of Team Canada’s 2018 world junior hockey team.

CBC News will carry the news conference live. You can watch by clicking on the image in the this story.

Michael McLeod and Cal Foote, both of the New Jersey Devils, Dillon Dubé of the Calgary Flames, Carter Hart of the Philadelphia Flyers and former NHL player Alex Formenton, who’s now playing hockey in Switzerland, are each charged with sexual assault. McLeod faces an additional charge of being party to an offence.

The charges were laid late last month, stemming from an alleged sexual assault at a downtown London hotel room in June 2018.

Earlier on Monday, lawyers for the five players appeared on behalf of their clients via video link (new window) and their next hearing date was set for April 30 in the same London courtroom.

The brief appearance was largely procedural, and the players themselves did not appear, which is normal for early court appearances. The Crown attorney told lawyers to expect to receive a substantial amount of case information sometime Monday.

Four of the players, excluding Formenton, are under contract with NHL teams until the end of this season. They are technically on paid leave.

The police investigation was initially closed without charges months after the alleged incident, but investigators reopened it in 2022.

Hockey Canada and the NHL have also launched their own investigations.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said last week the league would wait until the criminal case has concluded before commenting. Hockey Canada has not issued an official statement on the charges.

The news conference is being held at RBC Place, London’s downtown convention centre.

For anyone who has been sexually assaulted, there is support available through crisis lines and local support services via this Government of Canada website (new window) or the Ending Violence Association of Canada database (new window). ​​If you’re in immediate danger or fear for your safety or that of others around you, please call 911.

CBC News with files from CBC’s Meagan Fitzpatrick, Karen Pauls