Canadian musician Jacob Hoggard found not guilty of sexual assault

By The Canadian Press on October 4, 2024.

Canadian musician Jacob Hoggard arrives at court for his sentencing hearing in Toronto on Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022. The judge overseeing the sexual assault trial of Canadian musician Jacob Hoggard is expected to begin delivering his final instructions to a northeastern Ontario jury today. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Alex Lupul

Canadian musician Jacob Hoggard has been found not guilty of sexually assaulting a young woman in northeastern Ontario eight years ago.

Jurors in Haileybury, a community within Temiskaming, Ont., deliberated for less than six hours on Friday before delivering their unanimous verdict.

The former Hedley frontman had pleaded not guilty to sexual assault.

Consent was the central issue in the trial as both the Crown and defence agreed Hoggard had a sexual encounter with the complainant in his hotel room in Kirkland Lake, Ont., in June 2016.

Prosecutors alleged the former Hedley frontman raped, choked, hit and urinated on the then-19-year-old woman, whom he met at a bonfire after-party following the band’s concert.

The defence argued Hoggard had a consensual one-night stand with the complainant after the two flirted and kissed at the bonfire.