2018 World Junior trial turns on crucial detail as alleged victim opposed charges!

The sexual assault trial of five former Hockey Canada world junior players, Cal Foote, Carter Hart, Michael McLeod, Dillion Dubé and Alex Formenton, continued in London, Ontario on Wednesday with Stephen Newton, a now-retired London Police Service officer in the witness box.

After answering questions Crown lawyer Meaghan Cunningham on his investigation and recorded police interviews being played in court, Newton was cross-examined by McLeod’s lawyer, David Humphrey. According to CBC, Newton revealed that when he interviewed the alleged victim, E.M., he had learned that her mother’s boyfriend spoke to police on June 19 and told them there was potential sexual assault to report.

The boyfriend said, and Newton understood, that E.M. (referred to as “the young lady” by Humphrey and Newton during today’s testimony) didn’t want her name given to police or to anyone at that time, and she didn’t want to report anything to police or want McLeod to get in trouble.

Newton also agreed to under Humphrey’s cross-examination the alleged victim didn’t want charged to be laid. From CBC, who’s been following the trial with live updates:

* E.M.’s mom eventually told Newton her daughter might make a police report if she is assured charges wouldn’t be laid, and later E.M. texts the officer and says she’s willing to speak to London police.

* They arrange to meet on June 22, 2018, and E.M., early on in the conversation, tells Newton she does not want to proceed with criminal charges or to go to court, she would be “satisfied if Newton speaks to the men about what they did.

After the lunch recess, court was back in session. Newton was back on the stand and this is what CBC reports:

Newton testifies he asked E.M. during that interview if she was getting pressure from her family, and E.M. told the then police investigator that she wanted him to suspend the investigation for the time being, with the view to reopening it in the future.

At some point, Newton told E.M. he might not be able to charge the men, given what E.M. has told him about what happened, as well as her level of sobriety and ability to consent. Shortly after, E.M. called him and asked for a female investigator, Newton testifies. Humphrey seems to be suggesting there is a connection between those two events.

Michael McLeod, Alex Formenton, Dillon Dube, Cal Foote, and Carter Hart are charged with sexually assaulting a woman identified in court documents as E.M. in June 2018 at a London hotel following a Hockey Canada golf and gala event. McLeod faces a second sexual assault charge as a party to the offence. They have all pleaded not guilty.