Legal arguments dominate Day 2 of world junior sex assault trial [Video]

An Ontario court heard legal arguments Thursday in the high-profile sexual assault trial of five former members of Canada’s world junior hockey team.

Opening statements began Wednesday, but jurors were dismissed early after Superior Court Justice Maria Carroccia said an incident occurred during the lunch hour, and that she needed to discuss it with the lawyers.

Matters discussed when the jury is not present can’t be reported until after jurors are sequestered to deliberate.

The Crown was laying out its case against Dillon Dube, Carter Hart, Michael McLeod, Cal Foote and Alex Formenton when the jury was dismissed.

Dube, Hart, McLeod, Foote and Formenton were charged with sexual assault early last year in connection to an alleged group sexual assault in London after a Hockey Canada gala event in 2018. McLeod is facing an additional charge of being a party to the offence of sexual assault.

The players all entered not-guilty pleas one by one Tuesday.

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