In Haileybury court in northern Ontario, Canadian artist Jacob Hoggard was acquitted of rape following his second trial for sexual assault over an encounter he had with the complainant in Kirkland Lake in 2016.
It took the jury only five hours to reach a unanimous verdict Friday evening after hearing the judge’s instructions in the morning.
Standing between his two lawyers, the rock star, dressed in a black suit without a tie, did not hesitate to show his relief at hearing the president of the jury pronounce his verdict.
He ran his hand over his face several times while one of his lawyers patted him on the back in congratulations.
His wife in the courtroom covered her face with her hands before murmuring a thank you. Jacob Hoggard then turned to her, his lips trembling.
He then turned to the jury, crying silently as the judge thanked the jurors for their work and self-sacrifice.
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The 27-year-old plaintiff, who cannot be identified due to a court order, answers questions from prosecutor Peter Keen on the second day of singer Jacob Hoggard’s trial (bottom right next to one of his lawyers) .
Photo : Radio-Canada / Alexandra Newbould
The singer of the defunct group Hedley had pleaded not guilty to one count of sexual assault regarding the meeting he had with the complainant after a concert in Kirkland Lake in June 2016.
The complainant, whose identity is protected by order, was 19 years old at the time of the alleged events.
The defense argued that their 40-year-old client was innocent and that he had a one-night stand with the woman.
The Crown instead assured that the relationship was not consensual and that the woman believed that the singer had invited her to his hotel to chat and play the guitar.
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Defense lawyer Megan Savard questions her client in the witness box as Justice Robin Tremblay of the Ontario Superior Court looks on at the Haileybury court in the north of the province.
Photo : Radio-Canada / Alexandra Newbould
Jacob Hoggard was sentenced in the fall of 2022 to five years in prison for sexual assault causing injury against an Ottawa resident in November 2016 in Toronto.
However, he was acquitted of a similar charge against a teenager in Mississauga, this time in September 2016. He underwent the same trial in the spring of 2022 in the metropolis.
The 40-year-old singer appealed the guilty verdict, but without success. The Crown did not contest the acquittal.
Jacob Hoggard subsequently asked, in vain, the Ontario Court of Appeal to keep him free on bail, while he was heard or not before the Supreme Court of Canada.
The press was not allowed to mention the first trial to maintain the impartiality of the second trial and the presumption of innocence of the accused.
More details to follow
