Jacob Hoggard pleaded not guilty to two counts of sexual assault causing bodily harm and one of sexual interference after two women came forward to accuse him of rape dating back to 2016.
The rock star and frontman for the band Hedley is accused of violently forcing himself upon both women, one of whom was just 16-years-old at the time of the alleged incident, according to CBC. Prosecutors allege that each of these separate attacks left the victims bloodied and sore, with one of the victims alleging she was “crying and saying no” throughout the hours-long ordeal in a Toronto-area hotel room, the outlet reported.
Court testimony has included allegations of vaginal, anal, and oral rape, and one of the women alleges Hoggard attempted to urinate on her and asked her to do the same. “I thought he might kill me,” one of the alleged victims testified, according to Global News.
Cross-examination expected to continue for 2nd complainant in Hoggard trial https://t.co/0XaqMaCfPR
— CTV News (@CTVNews) May 11, 2022
Crown attorney Kelly Slate revealed that one of the alleged victims, in this case, was just 15 years old and was a huge fan of Hoggard’s band, according to CBC. She reportedly attended his concert for her 13th birthday, and Hoggard is said to have exchanged numbers with her parents, then assisted them in securing backstage passes for other shows, the outlet reported.
The messages soon became “romantic and sexual” in nature, Slate Said, according to CBC. Hoggard “told her she was beautiful, that he loved her and that he saw a future with her,” prior to the alleged attack, according to Slate. (RELATED: Bill Ending Forced Arbitration In Sexual Assault, Harassment Cases Sails Through The Senate)
‘His eyes were absolutely terrifying’: Woman testifies Hedley’s Jacob Hoggard was like a ‘psychopath’ https://t.co/5fYJqrDxC4
— Toronto Star (@TorontoStar) May 11, 2022
Hoggard entered a not guilty plea on two counts of sexual assault causing bodily harm, and one of sexual interference in relation to his actions against a minor under the age of 16, according to CBC.
Defense lawyer Megan Savard alleges that the sex between Hoggard and the complainants was consensual, according to CP24 News. Hoggard’s legal team has fired back in response to the testimony of both alleged victims, suggesting that one of the women was “embarrassed” about being used for sex by a rock star, and opted to create a rape story in an effort to evade issues with her boyfriend at the time, the outlet reported.
“You were upset that you had fallen in love with a rock star and that he used you for sex,” Savard told one of the alleged victims on the stand, according to CP24.