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Michael McLeod, one of the players embroiled in the 2018 Hockey Canada scandal, faces an additional charge in the sexual assault case associated with members of the team.
According to court documents obtained by Rick Westhead of TSN Sports and CTV National News, the charges, which also involve Dillon Dube, Alex Formenton, Carter Hart and Cal Foote, include an additional charge for Michael McLeod.
All five players have been charged with sexual assault, and McLeod is specifically accused of being a party to the offense. The court documents say that the alleged incident occurred on or about Jun. 19, 2018, in the City of London, Ontario, in the Southwest Region.
Each player is individually accused of committing sexual assault against an individual identified only as E.M., in violation of Section 271 of the Criminal Code of Canada.
The players, including Michael McLeod, have declared their intention to plead not guilty. Their arrest on Jan. 26 has set the stage for a legal battle, with their next appearance scheduled for Feb. 5.
This scandal has wider implications, as a woman identified by two initials filed a $3.5-million lawsuit in April 2022 against Hockey Canada, the Canadian Hockey League, and eight unnamed players, including those involved in the criminal case.
Although Hockey Canada settled the civil lawsuit quietly, the controversy surrounding the organization has led to the loss of major sponsors, and London, Ontario, police have reopened a criminal investigation initiated after the alleged assault in 2018.
Why was Michael McLeod given an additional charge in the 2018 Hockey Canada scandal?
Legal expert Nick Cake, a criminal defense lawyer not affiliated with the case, shed light on the significance of the additional charge against McLeod.
He said that the Crown believes that McLeod's actions were intertwined with the co-accused's alleged crimes, linking him to the overall nature of the sexual conduct.
Michael McLeod, in his fifth season with the New Jersey Devils, finds himself entangled in a legal battle that threatens to throw his professional career into jeopardy.
The charges against the five players are detailed in a single piece of information, indicating that they will be tried together. Legal experts, including Cake, speculate that a joint trial is preferred to protect the alleged victim from the potential trauma of multiple cross-examinations during the proceedings.
The other accused players include Alex Formenton, Carter Hart and Cal Foote, each with their own professional affiliations, which could end, depending on the result of the trial.
The Ottawa Senators have said that they were unaware of Dillon Dube's court order when he requested a leave of absence from the team.
