Canadian musician Jacob Hoggard was found not guilty of sexually assaulting a young woman in northeastern Ontario eight years ago after a roughly two-week trial. The jury deliberated for less than six hours before delivering a unanimous verdict. Hoggard, who had pleaded not guilty to sexual assault, remains behind bars serving a five-year sentence for a separate sexual assault conviction that was not heard during the latest trial. Consent was a central issue in the case, as both parties agreed that a sexual encounter took place in Hoggard’s hotel room in 2016.
The complainant, who was 19 at the time of the incident, alleged that Hoggard took off her clothes, then raped, choked, hit, and urinated on her. She claimed that she repeatedly said no, tried to fight him off, and ran into the bathroom to throw up. Hoggard, on the other hand, testified that they had a consensual one-night stand after flirting and kissing at a bonfire. He denied the allegations of non-consensuality and violence. The judge instructed jurors that they must believe beyond a reasonable doubt that the complainant did not consent to any specific sexual activities and that Hoggard knew she did not consent in order to find him guilty.
During their closing arguments, Hoggard’s defence team suggested that the woman lied about the encounter to cover up her infidelity and maintain her relationships. They also pointed out inconsistencies in her account of the events. Prosecutors argued that she had no reason to lie and emphasized her consistency on the core elements of her allegations. Hoggard admitted to having memory gaps of the night but maintained that the encounter was consensual. Jurors did not hear about Hoggard’s previous sexual assault conviction and subsequent prison sentence in a separate case.
Jacob Hoggard rose to fame after his participation in “Canadian Idol” in 2004 and fronted the band Hedley, which went on an indefinite hiatus in 2018 due to allegations of sexual misconduct against him. The recent trial in northeastern Ontario and the outcome did not take into account these previous controversies in Hoggard’s career. His defence team thanked the jury for recognizing the lack of evidence in the case and acquitted him of the charges. Hoggard’s priority is now returning to British Columbia to be with his family as he continues to serve his prison sentence for the earlier sexual assault conviction.
The trial highlighted the complexities of consent in sexual encounters, with the judge cautioning jurors against making assumptions about what consensual sex should look like. The case brought to light differing accounts of the same event and the challenges of determining the truth in such situations. Throughout the trial, both the complainant and Hoggard maintained their respective versions of events, leading to a verdict of not guilty for the musician. The legal proceedings shed light on the intricacies of sexual assault cases and the importance of evidence and testimony in reaching a just outcome.
