Warning: This story contains disturbing details
Hedley frontman Jacob Hoggard has been released on bail pending the outcome of an appeal over his sexual assault conviction in June 2022, in which he was sentenced to five years in prison.
The decision of an Ontario Court of Appeal judge comes hours after the conviction of the Canadian musician.
At 2:30 p.m. Thursday, Hoggard’s attorney, Megan Savard, and Crown prosecutor, Catherine Weiler, met with Judge Grant Huscroft to present their reasons why Hoggard should or should not be released from jail during the appeal hearing.
After both sides made submissions, Huscroft said he would let the attorneys know once he made a decision. Late Thursday, the judge granted Hoggard’s bail request.
“In all the circumstances, given that (Hoggard) poses no public safety or flight concerns and raises arguable grounds for appeal, I am satisfied that his detention is not necessary in the public interest,” he said. writes Huscroft in his decision.
The bail hearing came just hours after Hoggard was sentenced to five years in prison after being convicted of sexually assaulting an Ottawa woman in a Toronto hotel room six years ago. year.
Ontario Superior Court Judge Gillian Roberts handed down the sentence this morning, noting that she accepts the victim’s story “in its entirety”.
The Crown in the case had requested a sentence of six to seven years while the defense had requested that Hoggard be kept behind bars for only three to four years.
The defense argued that a psychiatric report indicated the Hedley frontman was at low risk of re-offending and had a good chance of rehabilitation, while the Crown suggested he posed a danger to the public and should be kept in custody .
In arriving at her sentence, Roberts said she considered the trauma inflicted on the victim, whose identity cannot be revealed due to a publication ban, both by the assault and the trial. , as well as the ongoing impacts of the 2016 sexual assault on her. life for Hoggard’s moments of “sexual gratification”.
“She is a different person than she was when she went to meet Mr. Hoggard,” the judge said on Thursday.
Roberts noted that Hoggard had no criminal record and provided 52 letters from individuals, attesting to his “good character”.
She said she also took into consideration that since news of Hoggard’s alleged sexual improprieties surfaced, he’s been seen as a “recognizable outcast”, causing him and his family to fear. go out in public.
Additionally, Roberts said the $2.8 million lawsuit filed by the victim on October 6, the first day of the sentencing hearing, “would put Hoggard and his family on hold for a long time, “perhaps be same forever”.
Nonetheless, Roberts said the sentence “must be commensurate with the seriousness of the conduct charged”.
“It must be sufficient to reflect the harmfulness inherent in a manipulative and particularly degrading rape. … The full picture must be recognized and considered at sentencing,” she said, calling the assault “heinous” and noting that the victim feared for her life and was forced to endure several hours of violent intercourse and degradation. Hoggard admitted in court that he did not use a condom.
Roberts also indicated that Hoggard, in a follow-up conversation with the victim, tried to “gaslight” her and wanted to create a “certain narrative.”
After asking Hoggard to stand up and receive his sentence, Roberts thanked the defense and crown attorneys for their “very efficient and competent” handling of this case, then wished him “the best of luck.”
Hoggard then hugged and kissed his wife Rebekah Asselstine before being handcuffed and led out of the courtroom.
Canadian musician Jacob Hoggard arrives at the Toronto courthouse to be sentenced after being found guilty earlier this year of sexually assaulting an Ottawa woman, Thursday, Oct. 20, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Tijana Martin
In addition to sentencing Hoggard to five years in prison, Roberts also ordered that he be banned from possession of weapons for 10 years and placed on the sex offender registry for the next 20 years.
Speaking to reporters outside the University Avenue courthouse after the sentencing hearing, Crown prosecutor Kelly Slate praised the jury for their “diligence in this case” and Roberts for its “equity”.
Slate also paid tribute to the two “very brave” plaintiffs for coming forward and speaking to police, and for testifying at both the preliminary hearing and Hoggard’s trial.
In 2018, Hoggard was charged with two counts of sexual assault causing bodily harm and one count of sexual interference after he allegedly violently and repeatedly raped two women, one of whom was a minor, in separate incidents. in the fall of 2016. Prosecutors also alleged he also groped the girl after a Hedley concert in April 2016 when she was 15.
He pleaded not guilty to all three counts.
READ MORE: Timeline of sexual assault charges, trial and conviction of Jacob Hoggard
On June 5, Hoggard was convicted of one count of sexual assault causing bodily harm in the case involving the adult woman, but was acquitted of the same charge in connection with his alleged involvement with a teenage fan.
At that time, he was also found not guilty of the sexual interference charge, which also related to his alleged interactions with the underage girl.
“It’s definitely a very difficult process, but it’s necessary,” Slate said.
“Mr. Hoggard’s conviction and sentence sends a message to the community that sexual violence will not be tolerated by our community, by anyone.
A sketch of Canadian musician Jacob Hoggard in handcuffs after being sentenced to five years in prison on October 20, 2022 (John Mantha).
Last March, Hoggard, who was born and raised in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, was charged with sexual assault causing bodily harm in connection with another unrelated incident that allegedly occurred on June 25, 2016 in Kirkland Lake, Ontario. He denied the allegation and said through his attorney that he intended to plead not guilty. A pre-trial conference was held in a northeastern Ontario court on October 17. Another court appearance is scheduled for October 27.
#Hoggard #released #bail #pending #appeal #sexual #assault #conviction