Canada’s world junior trial saw juries tossed, intense testimony. Here’s a recap
Five members of Canada’s 2018 world junior hockey team will wait weeks until their fate in their high-profile sexual assault trial is determined.
Michael McLeod, Alex Formenton, Carter Hart, Dillon Dube and Callan Foote have been on trial since late April inside a London, Ont., courtroom – accused of engaging in non-consensual group sex with a then-20-year-old woman in June 2018.
All five men pleaded not guilty to sexual assault when the trial began on April 22; McLeod also pleaded not guilty to an additional charge of being a party to the offence of sexual assault.
The roller-coaster trial wrapped up Friday, and Superior Court Justice Maria Carroccia will summon everyone back in July to deliver her ruling.
Here is what unfolded over the eight weeks the trial played out inside the courtroom.
Trial saw 2 juries tossed, marathon questioning of complainant
It initially started as a jury trial, but just a few days in, a mistrial was declared out of concern for a tainted jury after a juror accused Hillary Dudding, one of Formenton’s lawyers, of initiating conversation while in line for lunch.
Dudding denied this and said any contact with the juror was inadvertent.
The trial resumed the following week with a new jury, and they would go on to watch videos of the complainant, known as E.M., taken by McLeod, hear from then-teammate Taylor Raddysh about a group-chat screenshot he took capturing the “3 way” message by McLeod, and hear from E.M. herself.
The now-27-year-old woman, whose identity is protected under a standard publication ban, was subject to intense cross-examination during her nine days on the stand.
Court heard the team was in London for events marking its gold-medal performance at that year’s championship, and that the complainant was out with friends when they met at a downtown bar on June 18, 2018.
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After being with McLeod and his teammates at the bar, E.M. would go on to have consensual sex with McLeod in his room in the early morning hours of June 19. Court has heard that E.M., who testified she was drunk and not of clear mind, was in the washroom after she had sex with McLeod and came out to a group of men in the room allegedly invited by McLeod in the group chat.
It was then that the Crown alleges several sexual acts took place without E.M.’s consent.
Defence lawyers have suggested E.M. wasn’t as drunk as she has testified she was, wanted a “wild night” with the players and was “egging” them on to have sex with her, and accused her of having a “clear agenda” at the trial.
E.M. has pushed back against those claims and at points outright rejected them, saying she was coaxed into staying in the room and was disrespected and taken advantage of by the group, who she said “could see I was out of my mind.”
After E.M. finished her testimony, then-teammate Tyler Steenbergen took the stand as a Crown witness, but his testimony was halted just two days in.
Court received a note from a juror stating they believed Formenton’s lawyers, Dudding and Dan Brown, would “turn to each other and laugh as if they are discussing our appearance” when the jury was entering the room.
Carroccia said she was concerned this could impact some jurors’ ability to fairly decide the case and that it could have a chilling effect on the defence lawyers. Brown and Dudding called the juror’s note an “unfortunate misinterpretation” and said “the very idea of counsel making light of a juror is illogical and runs directly counter to our purpose and function.”
Carroccia would go on to dismiss that jury, and the trial would go on by judge alone.
Only 1 accused would testify, Crown witness scrutinized
Eventually, court would go on to hear from police officers involved in the initial case in 2018 – and the renewed case in 2022 – and other players from that year’s team.
Vegas Golden Knights forward Brett Howden came under intense questioning during his time on the stand, and at one point briefly broke down in tears.
He teared up as he described feeling scared and nervous after learning Hockey Canada had launched an investigation into the encounter and realizing he would have to explain the situation to his parents and his girlfriend, now his wife.
Howden was accused by the Crown of feigning memory loss on details that could be damaging to his friends – which Carroccia ruled was unfounded – and faced questions in a voir dire over a text conversation the Crown wanted to introduce as evidence due to his lack of memory.
That conversation, which Crown prosecutors described as “critical,” was not admitted as evidence after Carroccia ruled against it twice.
Only Hart would testify at the trial, while the other players’ lawyers cited evidence and police interviews that were already played in court as part of the reasons why their clients were opting not to testify.
Hart testified in part that E.M. was asking the players to have sex with her, and he chose to ask for oral sex because he did not want to have intercourse. He said it was “consensual” and brief because it was “weird.”
Hart would agree with Crown prosecutor Meaghan Cunningham under cross-examination that he was “putting a lot of faith in your friend, Mr. McLeod, to set something up that was morally acceptable to you.”
During closing submissions, defence lawyers called the trial “historic” and repeatedly attacked E.M.’s credibility, saying she “created a lie” out of regret and embarrassment, and that throughout the night, her “communication of consent is overwhelming.”
Meanwhile, the Crown urged the judge to convict the men, with prosecutor Meaghan Cunningham arguing the men were “reckless” for engaging in group sex with E.M. and not seeking her affirmative consent.
Cunningham said E.M. is a credible witness because she was abundantly fair in the trial, clear and concise, not resentful and confirmatory. She argued many defence submissions on E.M.’s behaviour are based on assumptions about how someone in her situation would act.
Court will resume at on July 24, when Carroccia will deliver her ruling.
© 2025 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
The mayor of an Ontario town at the centre of Premier Doug Ford’s spat with alcohol maker Diageo says there is “very real hope” jobs in his community can be saved.
Michael Prue, mayor of Amherstburg, south of Windsor, told councillors Tuesday that Ford has said there are three companies interested in taking over Diageo’s operation in the town.
The British company, which produces Crown Royal, announced in August that it was shuttering its bottling facility in Amherstburg; bottling at the factory intended for the U.S. market would be shifting stateside, while bottling for Canadian consumers would move to its Valleyfield, Que., location.
The plant is scheduled to close in February 2026, affecting 168 unionized employees and potentially impacting the local economy.
“The premier has announced there are three interested parties to take over the Diageo plant. We have been working, in this town, primarily with one of them,” Prue said in a council meeting.
“I’m not at liberty to tell you who they are or where they’re from, but they have made some offers for the Diageo plant, and would be desirous of taking over that plant, along with its employees.”
Prue added that the plan has “run into some roadblocks,” but conversations with several government officials have been ongoing.
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“The discussions are going very well and we’re hoping that the proponent who wishes to buy this plant is able to do so. They are also looking at an alternative structure in Amherstburg should Diageo not wish to sell the plant,” he said.
“If the plant is sold, the plan is to keep all 168 unionized employees employed.”
A week after Diageo announced the closure, Ford – in a viral moment of protest – poured out an entire bottle of Crown Royal at a news conference to signal his displeasure and bashed the company’s move as ill-conceived.
Earlier this month, Ford escalated his fight with Diageo, threatening to “leverage” the purchasing power of the LCBO and pull Crown Royal and Smirnoff vodka – another Diageo product – off store shelves.
“It’s not going to cost jobs and revenue (for the LCBO),” Ford said on Oct. 6.
“The only people that cost jobs and revenues is Diageo.”
Ford pointed to the $765 million the LCBO spends on Diageo’s products and complained that the company executives behind the decision who decided to target their “largest customer in North America” have “half a brain.”
Diegeo has said the decision to close its Ontario facility has nothing to do with tariffs from United States President Donald Trump, adding it made similar decisions in the United States, Italy and Scotland.
“We’re working very hard on this. All we can do is wait and see what happens. The big hammer, of course, is held by the premier,” Prue said Tuesday.
“There is some very real hope that this can all be brought forward and accomplished before anyone is let go.”
— with files from Isaac Callan, Gabby Rodrigues and Colin D’Mello
© 2025 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
A forensic psychologist who assessed a Toronto man who has admitted to killing two strangers in April 2022 says Richard Edwin was not faking his illness during their meeting.
Dr. Stephanie Penney testimony Wednesday offered the first glimpse into the life of Edwin, a 43-year-old high school graduate whom she found demonstrated ongoing symptoms of depression and anxiety, as well as positive symptoms of psychosis. Penney also concluded Edwin demonstrated low nonverbal skills which could indicate a cognitive loss secondary to the onset of his ongoing mental illness.
Edwin has pleaded not guilty to two counts of first-degree murder.
His lawyers argue he should be found not criminally responsible due to a mental disorder, specifically schizophrenia, that rendered him incapable of understanding his actions were wrong.
Edwin has admitted that on April 7, 2022, he took the TTC to Sherbourne Station and shot 21-year-old Kartik Vasudev multiple times as they crossed paths.
Vasudev, an international student from Seneca College, had no prior interaction with Edwin.
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Edwin fled the scene, taking a bus and subway back to his bachelor apartment on Spadina Road, north of Bloor Street.
Two days later, on April 9, Edwin also admitted to taking the subway to Queen Station, then walking to Sherbourne and Dundas streets, where he shot 35-year-old Elijah Mahepath from behind multiple times before fleeing.
Surveillance video confirmed the two had not interacted prior to the shooting. Mahepath, like Vasudev, was a stranger to Edwin.
According to an agreed statement of facts, Edwin, a registered gun owner, was diagnosed with schizophrenia in 2010 at age 28.
Following his arrest on April 10, 2022, police found five firearms in his residence during a search.
Dr. Penney said she interviewed Edwin and administered three standardized tests for malingering on March 13, 2025.
The assessment was done at the request of forensic psychiatrist Dr. Lisa Ramshaw, retained by the defence. Penney concluded there were no consistent evidence to suggest Edwin was making deliberate attempts to feign or exaggerate symptoms of mental illness.
Edwin told her he had not taken medication in years and was not experiencing any symptoms of schizophrenia. Penney noted that such a report was atypical and that people with schizophrenia rarely stop experiencing symptoms without treatment.
During cross-examination, assistant Crown attorney Sandra Duffey questioned Penney about a section of her report suggesting Edwin may also suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder.
Penney agreed Edwin had told her he experienced a past traumatic event that caused ongoing anxiety.
Penney clarified that her malingering assessment applied only to the time of her March 2025 evaluation. She did not ask Edwin about his mental state in April 2022, when the shootings occurred.
Edwin’s mother is expected to testify Thursday.
© 2025 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
SEATTLE – The Toronto Blue Jays will look to even up the best-of-seven American League Championship Series Thursday night against the Seattle Mariners.
Toronto thumped Seattle 13-4 on Wednesday to cut its series deficit to 2-1.
The Blue Jays got out of their offensive slump to the tune of 18 hits, five of which were home runs, in the win.
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Max Scherzer is set to make his first playoff start in a Toronto uniform, while Seattle goes with fellow right-hander Luis Castillo.
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The Mariners, who have never won an American League title, will host Game 5 on Friday. If Games 6 and 7 are necessary, they would be played back in Toronto.
The Blue Jays are making their first ALCS appearance since 2016. Toronto hasn’t reached the World Series since winning a second straight title in 1993.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 16, 2025.
© 2025 The Canadian Press
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