REDFM NEWS DESK
JULY 24, 2025
Five former members of Canada’s world junior hockey team were acquitted Thursday in a closely watched sexual assault trial that has reignited national conversations around consent and hockey culture.
Michael McLeod, Carter Hart, Alex Formenton, Dillon Dube, and Callan Foote were found not guilty following Ontario Superior Court Justice Maria Carroccia’s ruling in a packed London, Ontario courtroom. McLeod was also acquitted of a separate charge of being a party to the offence.
Justice Carroccia stated she did not find the complainant’s testimony to be “either credible or reliable,” citing multiple inconsistencies between her trial statements, police interviews, and a prior civil claim. She noted the complainant referred to “her truth,” which the judge said blurred the line between belief and fact.
The complainant’s lawyer said her client was “very disappointed” with the decision, noting she had fully cooperated with the justice process and spoke “with intelligence and from her heart.”
Crown prosecutors said they will carefully review the ruling before deciding whether to appeal. They emphasized that a fair trial—based on evidence and law—is the cornerstone of justice for both the accused and the complainant.
Defence lawyers welcomed the verdict as a “vindication” for their clients, many of whom had seen their hockey careers stall since the allegations came to light. Several lawyers criticized the Crown’s decision to proceed with the case, calling the trial distressing and unnecessary.
Despite the verdict, the case has prompted renewed scrutiny of athlete culture, sexual assault reporting, and public expectations around high-profile criminal proceedings.
Each of the five men left court surrounded by family, seeking to move on after a case that has drawn national attention for more than two years.
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