Billet mom trial takes unexpected turn with major connection to 2018 World Junior scandal

A deeply unsettling case connected to the Peterborough Petes organization moved into its trial phase this week, as a former billet mother faces charges of sexual exploitation involving a teenage OHL player. But one of the most notable details to emerge from the courtroom involves who is leading her defence.

The accused is being represented by Toronto lawyer Julianna A. Greenspan, a name that will ring familiar to those who followed one of hockey's most high-profile legal sagas. Greenspan previously served as counsel for former NHL player Cal Foote during the widely publicized Hockey Canada sexual assault case. Foote was ultimately acquitted in that matter.

The judge-alone trial began Monday before Justice Marcella Henschel after the accused chose to proceed without a jury. She faces one count of sexual exploitation and one count of distributing sexual material for the purpose of facilitating sexual exploitation. A publication ban is in place to protect the identity of the complainant.

According to reporting from the Peterborough Examiner, the Crown had originally brought a charge involving a second alleged victim, also a Petes player, but withdrew that charge before the trial began. Assistant Crown attorney Kelly Eberhard told the court the prosecution expects to call four to six witnesses.

Eberhard outlined three central questions the case will hinge on: whether a sexual relationship occurred between the accused and the complainant, whether the complainant was 17 at the time, and whether the accused held a position of trust over the player.

The investigation reportedly began in 2024 after Peterborough Police received information about an alleged inappropriate relationship between a Petes player and his billet. Investigators seized the accused's cellphone, laptop, and Apple Watch. Two players' phones were also examined, yielding photographs, text messages, and explicit material that has been entered as evidence.

Greenspan has already begun challenging aspects of the police investigation. During cross-examination of Peterborough Police Sgt. Carly Dow, Greenspan pressed on the handling and interpretation of digital evidence. She pointed out that Dow's investigative report made no mention of video evidence and questioned how police came across it. Greenspan also raised issues with the metadata associated with recovered photographs.

The court also heard that the complainant initially told investigators he had only disclosed about "70 per cent" of what happened during his first interview and had deleted photographs from his phone before it was examined.

Billet families serve a vital role in Canadian junior hockey, housing players who are often minors living away from home. That caregiving dynamic is central to the Crown's argument about trust.

None of the allegations have been proven in court, and the accused is presumed innocent. The trial is expected to last approximately two weeks, with proceedings resuming this week. Given Greenspan's track record in high-stakes hockey-related cases, the defence strategy will be closely watched as the case unfolds.