Mistrial Declared in High-Profile Sexual Assault Case Involving Former Canadian Hockey Players

London/Ontario – April 26, 2025: A Canadian judge overseeing a high-profile sexual assault case against five former members of the country’s World Junior Hockey team has declared a mistrial. The decision, announced on Friday, came shortly after the prosecution called its first witness. As a result, a new jury was quickly selected to replace the 14 jurors dismissed from the case.

Superior Court Justice Maria Carrocci did not provide a reason for declaring the mistrial, as the details are covered by a publication ban, according to Canadian media. The five accused players—Michael McLeod, Cal Foote, Carter Hart, Dillon Dubé, and Alex Formenton—have all pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The case stems from an alleged sexual assault in 2018, following a Hockey Canada Foundation fundraising event in London, Ontario. The victim, a 24-year-old woman, filed a lawsuit claiming that she was assaulted by eight players from Canada’s World Junior team in a hotel room that night. She also mentioned that she felt pressured not to report the incident to the police.

In 2022, it was revealed that Hockey Canada had quietly reached a settlement with the woman, which sparked national outrage. As a result, the organization faced the loss of federal funding and several major sponsorships. Police later reopened their investigation into the case, apologizing for the delay in pursuing the matter.

The trial is set to restart on Monday, and it is expected to last around eight weeks. Under Canadian law, a sexual assault conviction carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.