Defence wraps its case in hockey players’ sex assault trial

By Canadian Press on June 2, 2025.

LONDON — Defence lawyers representing five hockey players accused of sexual assault have closed their case, and no more evidence will be called at the trial.

Lawyers for the Crown and defence will make legal submissions to the judge next week.

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

The trial centres on an encounter with a woman inside a London, Ont., hotel room in the early hours of June 19, 2018.

Court heard testimony this morning from London police Det. Lyndsey Ryan, the officer tasked in 2022 with reviewing the 2018 police investigation into the allegations.

Hart is the only one among the accused to have testified, spending two days on the stand last week.

People accused of crimes are not required to testify in their own defence, nor is the defence required to call any evidence.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published on June 2, 2025.

The Canadian Press