Closing Arguments Conclude in Jacob Hoggard Sexual Assault Trial

The jury hears starkly different accounts from Hoggard and his accuser about a 2016 encounter, as the prosecution and defense make their final cases.

Jacob Hoggard, former frontman of the band Hedley, is accused of sexual assault stemming from a 2016 encounter in a hotel room after a concert in Kirkland Lake, Ontario.
The complainant alleges that Hoggard raped, choked, and hit her, and called her derogatory names during the encounter, which she says was non-consensual.
Hoggard has denied all allegations, claiming the encounter was a consensual one-night stand after a night of flirting and socializing at a bonfire after-party.
The defense argues that the complainant's account is inconsistent and motivated by a desire to cover up her infidelity, while the prosecution maintains her core allegations remain consistent and credible.
Both sides presented closing arguments, with the defense emphasizing alleged inconsistencies in the complainant's story and the prosecution focusing on Hoggard's memory gaps regarding key details of the night.