Crown won’t appeal hockey players’ sex assault acquittals

A lawyer for one of the five former junior hockey players acquitted of sexual assault last month says the Crown has decided not to appeal the verdict.

Alex Formenton’s lawyer Daniel Brown says he has been informed of the decision.

Formenton, Michael McLeod, Carter Hart, Dillion Dube and Callan Foote were all acquitted of sexual assault.

McLeod was also acquitted of a separate charge of being a party of the offence of sexual assault.

“Resounding vindication” were the words used by the defence to describe the ruling, while the complainant’s lawyers called it devastating.

The complainant’s testimony was found not credible or reliable by Ontario Superior Court Justice Maria Carroccia.

Carroccia also noted that there were “troubling aspects” in how she delivered some of her evidence about the 2018 encounter.

According to the judge, the complainant tended to blame others for inconsistencies in her narrative and exaggerated her level of intoxication that night.

With files from The Canadian Press.

READ MORE: Five former Hockey Canada players found not guilty in sexual assault trial