The sexual assault trial against Hedley frontman Jacob Hoggard has been delayed by another three months. The 35-year-old singer who would have appeared in court on Monday (January 4) will now face his three sex-related charges on April 12.
The delay comes as a result of a request by Hoggard, who has recently changed counsel. The case had been previously scheduled to start in 2019 but was held over until 2021.
The former Canadian Idol contestant was first arrested in 2018 after multiple claims of sexual misconduct were levelled against him, including two counts of sexual assault causing bodily harm and one count of sexual interference.
Three separate incidents allegedly occurred in the Toronto area in 2016, involving a woman and a girl under the age of 16. The names of the alleged victims have not been released and are protected under a publication ban.
Hoggard has pleaded not guilty to all charges. He has requested a trial by jury instead of by judge alone, even as the coronavirus pandemic limits jury trials in most of Ontario. Jury trials are scheduled to resume in February, pending further lockdown restrictions.
The delay comes as a result of a request by Hoggard, who has recently changed counsel. The case had been previously scheduled to start in 2019 but was held over until 2021.
The former Canadian Idol contestant was first arrested in 2018 after multiple claims of sexual misconduct were levelled against him, including two counts of sexual assault causing bodily harm and one count of sexual interference.
Three separate incidents allegedly occurred in the Toronto area in 2016, involving a woman and a girl under the age of 16. The names of the alleged victims have not been released and are protected under a publication ban.
Hoggard has pleaded not guilty to all charges. He has requested a trial by jury instead of by judge alone, even as the coronavirus pandemic limits jury trials in most of Ontario. Jury trials are scheduled to resume in February, pending further lockdown restrictions.
