The intercourse assault trial of Canadian musician Jacob Hoggard is about to start in Might after it was postponed a number of instances as a result of COVID-19 restrictions.
The trial, which will likely be heard by a jury, is now scheduled to start out Might 2 and proceed till early June.
Hoggard, the frontman for the band Hedley, was initially set to face trial in January of final yr nevertheless it was postponed by a number of months, after which once more to this month.
The trial was delayed once more as a result of new jury trials have been placed on maintain in gentle of the Omicron-fuelled surge in COVID-19 instances — a pause that’s anticipated to final till no less than Feb. 7.
The singer pleaded not responsible to sexual assault inflicting bodily hurt and sexual interference at his preliminary listening to.
He was arrested and charged in 2018 for alleged incidents involving a lady and a young person that police have stated occurred within the Toronto space in 2016.
The complainants can’t be recognized as a result of a publication ban.
Investigation launched in 2018
Police started investigating Hoggard earlier in 2018, after allegations emerged that steered he had inappropriate encounters with younger followers.
Hoggard issued a press release months earlier than his arrest, denying any non-consensual sexual conduct however acknowledging having behaved in a means that “objectified girls” and was “reckless and dismissive of their emotions.”
Hedley has been on an indefinite hiatus since March 2018. Following the allegation, the band was dropped by its administration workforce and banned by a number of radio stations.
Hoggard was current Thursday for a digital listening to coping with pre-trial motions in his case, the contents of that are additionally protected below a publication ban.
