The sex assault trial of five former members of Canada’s world junior hockey team has been paused less than one day after testimony in the case began.
Jurors were dismissed early on Wednesday after the judge said something had come up that she needed to discuss with the lawyers.
With the jury not present in the courtroom on Thursday, the details of what was discussed cannot be broadcast at this time.
Matters discussed in the absence of the jury cannot be reported until after jurors are sequestered to deliberate
The dismissal happened after brief testimony from a detective with London Police, who was beginning to discuss the layout of Jack’s Bar. This is where the complainant met Michael McLeod, one of the five players on trial, before going back to a hotel room in the city in June 2018
According to the Crown’s opening submission on Wednesday, McLeod allegedly invited several teammates to his room where a number of sexual acts occurred involving the complainant over the course of a few hours.
McLeod and his co-accused — Dillon Dube, Carter Hart, Cal Foote and Alex Formenton — have all pleaded not guilty to sexual assault in the June 2018 encounter. McLeod has also pleaded not guilty to an additional charge of being a party to the offence of sexual assault.
Each of the five accused players is alleged to have had sexual contact with the woman without her voluntarily agreeing to those specific acts.
The trial is expected to last about eight weeks.
