Warning: This story incorporates disturbing particulars
Hedley frontman Jacob Hoggard has been granted bail pending the end result of an appeal into his June 2022 sexual assault conviction, through which he was sentenced to 5 years behind bars.
The resolution from an Ontario Court of Appeal choose comes hours after the Canadian musician’s sentencing.
At 2:30 p.m. Thursday, Hoggard’s lawyer Megan Savard together with Crown Attorney Catherine Weiler, met with Justice Grant Huscroft to current their the explanation why Hoggard ought to or shouldn’t be launched from jail whereas the appeal is being heard.
After either side made their submissions, Huscroft stated he would notify attorneys as soon as he had reached a call. Late Thursday, the choose granted Hoggard’s bail software.
“In all of the circumstances, given that (Hoggard) poses no public safety or flight concerns and raises arguable grounds of appeal, I am satisfied that his detention is not necessary in the public interest,” Huscroft wrote in his resolution.
The bail listening to was held simply hours after Hoggard was sentenced to 5 years in jail after being discovered responsible of sexually assaulting an Ottawa lady in a Toronto resort room six years in the past.
Ontario Superior Court Justice Gillian Roberts delivered the sentence this morning, noting that she accepts the sufferer’s account in “its entirety.”
The Crown within the case had requested for a sentence of six to seven years whereas the defence requested that Hoggard solely be stored behind bars for 3 to 4 years.
The defence argued {that a} psychiatric report indicated that the Hedley frontman was a low threat to reoffend and had a very good likelihood at rehabilitation, whereas the Crown urged that he was a hazard to the general public and wanted to be stored in custody.
In arriving at her sentence, Roberts stated she thought-about the trauma inflicted upon the sufferer, whose id can’t be revealed as a consequence of a publication ban, each by the assault and the trial course of in addition to the persevering with impacts the 2016 sexual assault have had on her life for Hoggard’s moments of “sexual gratification.”
“She’s a different person than she was when she went to meet Mr. Hoggard,” the choose stated Thursday.
Roberts famous that Hoggard had no prior prison report and offered 52 letters from people, testifying to his “good character.”
She stated she additionally took into consideration that since information of Hoggard’s alleged sexual impropriety surfaced he’s been seen as a “recognizable pariah” leading to him and his household being afraid of going out in public.
Further, Roberts stated that the $2.8 million lawsuit filed by the sufferer on Oct. 6, the primary day of the sentencing listening to, would “hang over” Hoggard and his household for a very long time, “maybe even forever.”
Nonetheless, Roberts stated that the sentence “must be proportionate to the gravity of the offending conduct.”
“It must be sufficient to reflect the inherent harmfulness of a manipulative and particularly degrading rape. … The full picture must be recognized and considered in sentencing,” she stated, calling the assault “heinous” and noting that the sufferer feared for her life and was pressured to endure a number of hours of violent sexual activity and degradation. Hoggard admitted in courtroom that he didn’t use a condom.
Roberts additionally indicated that Hoggard, in a observe up dialog with the sufferer, tried to “gaslight” her and needed to create a “certain narrative.”
After asking Hoggard to face up and obtain his sentence, Roberts thanked the protection and crown attorneys for his or her “very effective and proficient” dealing with of this case then wished him “the best of luck.”
Hoggard then hugged and kissed his spouse Rebekah Asselstine earlier than being handcuffed and led out of the courtroom room.
Canadian musician Jacob Hoggard arrives on the Toronto courthouse for sentencing after being discovered responsible earlier this 12 months of sexually assaulting an Ottawa lady, on Thursday, October 20, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Tijana Martin
Aside from sentencing Hoggard to 5 years of jail time, Roberts additionally ordered that he be issued a 10-year ban on possessing any weapons and be positioned on the intercourse offender registry for the subsequent 20 years.
Speaking to reporters outdoors the University Avenue Courthouse following the sentencing listening to, Crown Attorney Kelly Slate counseled the jury for his or her “diligence in this matter,” and Roberts for her “fairness.”
Slate additionally gave credit score to the 2 “very brave” complainants for coming ahead to the and chatting with police, and for testifying at each the preliminary listening to and trial for Hoggard.
Back in 2018, Hoggard was charged with two counts of sexual assault inflicting bodily hurt and one rely of sexual interference after allegedly violently and repeatedly raping two females, certainly one of whom was a minor, in separate incidents within the fall of 2016. Prosecutors additionally alleged he additionally groped the woman after a Hedley live performance in April 2016 when she was 15.
He pleaded not responsible to all three counts.
READ MORE: Jacob Hoggard’s timeline of intercourse assault costs, trial and conviction
On June 5, Hoggard was discovered responsible of 1 rely of sexual assault inflicting bodily hurt within the case involving the grownup lady, however was acquitted of the identical cost in connection along with his alleged involvement with a teenage fan.
At that point, he was additionally discovered not responsible of the sexual interference cost, which additionally pertained to interactions he allegedly had with the underage woman.
“This is no doubt a very difficult process, but it’s a necessary one,” Slate stated.
“Mr. Hoggard’s conviction and sentence sends a message to the community that sexual violence will not be tolerated by our community, by anyone.”
A sketch of Canadian musician Jacob Hoggard in handcuffs after he was sentenced to 5 years in jail on Oct 20, 2022 (John Mantha).
Last March, Hoggard, who was born and raised in B.C.’s Lower Mainland, was charged with sexual assault inflicting bodily hurt in reference to one other unrelated incident that reportedly occurred on June 25, 2016 in Kirkland Lake, Ont. He has denied the allegation and stated by his lawyer that he intends to plead not responsible. A judicial pre-trial was held at a northeastern Ontario courtroom on Oct. 17. Another look has been scheduled for Oct. 27.