Ontario’s top court has upheld the conviction of Jacob Hoggard, former frontman of the band Hedley, for sexual assault.
Hoggard was found guilty in June 2022 of sexually assaulting an Ottawa woman and was sentenced to five years in prison. Following his sentencing, Hoggard was granted bail pending the outcome of his appeal.
The complainant expressed relief and gratitude on Friday, stating she was “thankful the appeal was dismissed” and felt “relieved that after almost nine years, this is FINALLY over.”
Hoggard’s legal team had appealed the conviction on multiple grounds, including claims that the trial judge improperly admitted evidence from Lori Haskell, a clinical psychologist specializing in trauma and that this evidence was misused to bolster the complainant’s credibility.
In a unanimous decision released on Friday, the appeal court found no significant legal errors or injustice in the original trial and dismissed the appeal.
Hoggard’s lawyers disagreed with the court’s decision but acknowledged respect for the judgment. They indicated plans to review the ruling to decide on possible further actions.
