Prosecutors in Jacob Hoggard's sexual assault trial urged Wednesday that the Hedley frontman lied about his encounters with a teenage fan and a younger girl, pointing to a number of different situations during which he lied to get out of "troublesome conditions."
Over greater than a day of testimony, Hoggard, 37, acknowledged he lied to the youthful complainant within the weeks and months earlier than their encounter at a lodge, telling her he beloved her and floating the concept of marriage and a future collectively in order that he may have intercourse together with her.
Hoggard additionally agreed he lied to the second complainant -- an Ottawa girl who was in her early 20s on the time -- when he mentioned he cared about her and was there for her as she sought an apology throughout a cellphone name just a few days after their encounter. In truth, he did not significantly get pleasure from her firm and blocked her quantity after that decision, he mentioned.
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He lied to the complainants to get them to go away his lodge room after every encounter, he advised the courtroom. And he lied to his companions, together with his now spouse, to cover his infidelity over greater than a decade of touring with Hedley, deleting messages, sexual images and movies, and saving girls's numbers in his cellphone below males's names, he mentioned.
In her cross-examination Wednesday, Crown legal professional Kelly Slate urged Hoggard's account of consensual intercourse with the complainants was simply one other lie.
"I am solely telling the reality proper now," he replied.
Hoggard has pleaded not responsible to 2 counts of sexual assault inflicting bodily hurt and one in every of sexual interference, a cost that refers back to the sexual touching of somebody below 16.
Prosecutors allege he violently and repeatedly raped two girls, one in every of whom was 16 on the time, in two separate incidents within the fall of 2016. The complainants, who had travelled from out of city to fulfill him, have been left bleeding and bruised, the Crown alleges.
The complainants have testified they cried and mentioned no throughout the encounters, which occurred in Toronto-area lodge rooms.
The youthful complainant, who first met Hoggard as a result of she was a longtime Hedley fan, testified he raped her vaginally and orally and tried to take action anally in September 2016. She advised the courtroom she tried to struggle him off at varied factors however was overpowered.
The second complainant met Hoggard via the relationship app Tinder whereas the band was in Ottawa. She testified she agreed to fulfill him in Toronto to have intercourse in November 2016, however didn't consent to what occurred within the lodge, telling the courtroom she was raped anally, vaginally and orally.
Each recalled that Hoggard spit of their mouths, slapped them and known as them "slut" and "whore." The primary complainant alleged he additionally pushed her face into the pillows, making it troublesome for her to breathe.
The second complainant mentioned Hoggard choked her so laborious she feared for her life. At one level, she alleged, he dragged her by the legs into the lavatory and requested her to urinate on him, which she refused to do.
Hoggard can also be accused of groping the teenage complainant after a Hedley present in April 2016, when she was nonetheless 15.
On the stand Tuesday, the singer categorically denied raping the complainants, saying each encounters have been consensual and "passionate."
Hoggard additional denied both of the complainants cried or mentioned no, and maintained he relied on verbal and non-verbal cues to gauge consent with every of them.
The musician acknowledged it is potential a number of the acts described by the complainants occurred, noting spitting, slapping, name-calling and urination have been amongst his sexual preferences. However he mentioned proscribing respiration and inflicting ache weren't issues he loved.
Hoggard additionally mentioned he did not have detailed reminiscences of the encounters, however had little question they have been consensual.
Prosecutors urged Wednesday that Hoggard, who had grown used to fame since Hedley's rise to success in 2004, wasn't used to having folks say no to him. Each complainants mentioned no to him, they alleged.
"You didn't care, you continue to acquired what you wished," Slate mentioned Wednesday in her cross-examination.
"That is not true," Hoggard mentioned.
The defence, in the meantime, requested Hoggard how he could possibly be sure the encounters have been consensual given his restricted reminiscence. The singer mentioned he recalled a optimistic expertise, and that it was his observe to speak with sexual companions.
"I do know that is how I deal with folks," he mentioned.
Courtroom additionally heard Wednesday from a limo driver who drove the youthful complainant to and from Hoggard's lodge.
Steven Wigoda mentioned the teenager was "very quiet" on the journey again to her house north of Toronto, however appeared in any other case regular.
He additionally denied making a cease at an ONroute relaxation cease on the way in which there, because the complainant has testified, saying he would have written it in his log if they'd.
The Crown and defence are anticipated to make their closing submissions Friday, and jury deliberations may start as early as Monday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first printed Could 25, 2022.
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