Content warning: This story includes allegations of sexual assault.
LONDON, Ont. – The woman at the centre of the sexual assault trial involving five former NHL players gave her testimony for the first time on Friday.
The complainant, identified in court documents as `E.M.` due to a publication ban, described feeling “uncomfortable,” “confused,” and “claustrophobic” while on the dancefloor at Jack’s bar, surrounded by men previously identified as members of the 2018 Canadian world junior team.
E.M. also testified that she consumed 12 alcoholic drinks on the night of the alleged incident in June 2018.
Testifying via CCTV from another location in the courthouse, she detailed her consumption: seven Jagerbomb shots, one vodka or tequila shot, two coolers, a beer, and a vodka soda, stating she felt “very drunk” by the end of the evening.
She described her interaction with Michael McLeod at the bar as initially “fine” after being introduced by a teammate. However, she later testified to feeling “pressure” to be with him, noting he waited outside the washroom when she went in to “regroup.”
Shown a cell-phone video recorded on the dancefloor later that night by assistant Crown attorney Meaghan Cunningham, E.M. commented that she appeared “really intoxicated,” with her eyes shut, and didn`t “even look like I’m aware a video is being taken.”
E.M.`s testimony for the day concluded after viewing security footage of herself and McLeod exiting a taxi and entering the Delta Armouries hotel lobby. She stated she returned to the hotel with McLeod because she has “a hard time saying no.”
Earlier, Boris Katchouk gave video testimony from Wilkes/Barre, Pa., following his AHL team`s playoff elimination. He testified that his phone was broken on June 18-19, 2018, preventing him from receiving group chat texts from teammates. Katchouk stated he was in McLeod`s hotel room for less than two minutes after being invited in, and that McLeod asked him at one point if he wanted oral sex from the woman.
Katchouk also testified that while he was briefly alone with the complainant in McLeod`s room before McLeod returned with teammate Taylor Raddysh, E.M. asked if she could have a bite of his pizza; he refused.
Concluding his testimony that began Wednesday (court was adjourned Thursday due to a juror`s illness), Taylor Raddysh read from his July 2018 statement given during a Hockey Canada investigation. Raddysh testified he did not hear E.M. say anything during the brief time he was in the room with McLeod and Katchouk before leaving.
As some players arrived at the courthouse Friday morning, they were met by approximately 10 protesters holding signs, including one that read “Break the silence, stop the violence.”
Michael McLeod, 27, faces two counts of sexual assault, one of which involves aiding the offence. Dillon Dube, 26, Cal Foote, 26, Alex Formenton, 25, and Carter Hart, 26, are each charged with one count of sexual assault. All five players have entered not guilty pleas.
E.M. is scheduled to continue her testimony on Monday.
Tristan Blackwood