Hockey Player Mike McLeod Faces Additional Charge of Sexual Assault for Alleged Role in Hotel Room Incident

Strategic Insights -

As the London, Ont., trial of five Canadian hockey players accused of sexual assault enters its eighth week, Crown attorney Meaghan Cunningham has zeroed in on Mike McLeod, the only accused facing an additional charge of being "party to an offence." The alleged incident occurred in a hotel room almost exactly seven years ago, following a night of drinking at Jack's Bar. According to E.M., the complainant, she had consensual sex with McLeod but did not agree to the subsequent group sex that ensued.

Key Takeaways:

  • Mike McLeod, a former member of the 2018 Canadian World Juniors hockey team, is facing an additional charge of sexual assault for allegedly recruiting teammates to engage in group sex with E.M. in a hotel room.
  • E.M., the complainant, testified that she did not agree to the group sex, even though she did not try to leave or object to the situation.
  • Crown attorney Meaghan Cunningham argued that McLeod was the instigator of the group sex, sending text invites to his teammates and attempting to recruit more people to participate.
  • McLeod has pleaded not guilty, and the defence maintains that E.M. was the aggressive instigator, demanding sex from the players and mocking them for their initial reluctance.
  • Cunningham pointed out that McLeod never mentioned the text invites in his interview with lead detective Stephen Newton, and his omission is seen as a lie.
  • The defence's theory is that E.M. was a "succubus" who turned the group sex into a sexual encounter that nobody was expecting.
  • Cunningham argued that McLeod's actions, including sending text invites and attempting to recruit more people, were those of a man personally invested in bringing men into the room to have sex with E.M.

Statistics:

  • E.M. was 20 years old at the time of the alleged incident.
  • The trial has lasted for eight weeks, with closing submissions expected to continue Thursday.
  • McLeod is the only accused facing an additional charge of being "party to an offence."
  • The defence is represented by 10 lawyers, while the Crown is led by Ontario's lead sexual assault prosecutor, Meaghan Cunningham.
  • The Supreme Court of Canada has repeatedly asserted the importance of obtaining prior consent for each sexual act in the context of sexual assault law.

Sources:

  • The Toronto Star
  • Crown Attorney's closing submission (April 2023)