TORONTO — The trial of Jacob Hoggard, the frontman for the Canadian rock band Hedley, has been pushed again to subsequent 12 months in mild of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Hoggard, who pleaded not responsible at his preliminary listening to to sexual assault inflicting bodily hurt and sexual interference, was initially set to be tried in Toronto this month.
A brand new trial date was then set for April, however given ongoing court docket delays and restrictions associated to the pandemic, it has now been postponed additional to Jan. 3, 2022.
Hoggard has opted to be tried by a jury, and new jury trials in Ontario have been placed on maintain till a minimum of Might to restrict the unfold of the virus.
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Hedley frontman Jacob Hoggard to face trial in intercourse assault case
The pre-trial motions that had been scheduled to be heard Monday will now happen in April.
The singer was arrested and charged in 2018 in reference to alleged incidents involving a lady and a teen. The complainants can’t be recognized resulting from a publication ban.
Earlier that 12 months, allegations surfaced suggesting Hoggard had inappropriate encounters with younger followers. Police launched an investigation on account of these allegations.
Hoggard issued an announcement months earlier than his arrest, acknowledging he had behaved in a manner that “objectified girls” however denying participating in any non-consensual sexual conduct.
He additionally apologized for his actions on Twitter and stated he understood the “vital hurt” they’d triggered.
Toronto police stated on the time of the musician’s arrest that the costs stem from three separate incidents involving two complainants — an grownup lady and a lady underneath the age of 16. The incidents allegedly happened within the Toronto space in 2016.
In the meantime, Hedley has been on an indefinite hiatus since March 2018. The Vancouver-based band was additionally dropped by its administration workforce and banned by a number of radio stations following the allegations.
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