What the Crown must prove To prove sexual assault, Carroccia says the Crown must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that: There was touching. The touching was sexual. The sexual touching was not consensual. She says that except for Foote, the first two questions are not at issue. There was touching and it was sexual. At issue at this trial is whether it was consensual. The complainant must be aware that she has a choice whether or not to engage in the sexual touching at issue. No consent is obtained if the complainant expresses a lack of agreement to engage in…

Eight-division world boxing champion Manny Pacquiao used ring I.Q. and boxing geometry to overcome height and reach deficits in his title fight against Mario Barrios, earning a controversial draw against a bigger, stronger, harder-hitting opponent. And if you think we’re re-heating headlines from the Pac Man’s late-2000s heyday, think again. That bout happened last Saturday in Las Vegas. Barrios, the World Boxing Council welterweight champion, is 30. Pacquiao, who last fought in August 2021, will be 47 in December. If he had edged out one more round on two judges’ scorecards, he’d have become the first boxer in history to…

WARNING: This post includes graphic language. Carroccia now turns to reading out what Hart told the court. He was the only one of the five men on trial to testify in his own defence. He was 19 years old in June 2018, single and open to sexual encounters. He texted, “‘I’m in’” when McLeod invited the others to his Delta hotel room for a “3 way.” Hart asked E.M. if he could “‘get a blowie,’” and E.M. performed oral sex. Hart also texted teammate Dante Fabro to, “‘Get to 209 quick,’” because he believed E.M. wanted to have sex with…

Hulk Hogan, who helped lead professional wrestling’s rise in popularity in the 1980s and beyond, has died, Florida police and World Wrestling Entertainment said Thursday. He was 71. “WWE is saddened to learn WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan has passed away,” the organization said in a statement. “One of pop culture’s most recognizable figures, Hogan helped WWE achieve global recognition in the 1980s. WWE extends its condolences to Hogan’s family, friends, and fans. Born Terry Bollea, Hogan began wrestling in the mid-1970s. His popularity soared in 1984 after he defeated the Iron Sheik to win the heavyweight championship of what was then called the…

On several occasions, E.M. tried to leave the Delta hotel room but would stay when the men told her not to leave, Carroccia says. E.M. also told court that the men likely wouldn’t have physically stopped her from leaving. She also testified that it was made known to her that she should perform oral sex on McLeod again, and when she did, she was slapped on her butt really hard and told the men to stop, which they did. “The men seemed amped up, loud and chaotic,” Carroccia says. After the initial sexual encounter, E.M. testified that her mind just…

Reasonable steps to confirm consent Daphne Gilbert, a professor of criminal, constitutional and advanced sexual assault law at the University of Ottawa, says it’s possible the judge will find E.M. did not consent, but that some or all of the five accused had an honest mistaken belief that she did. In that defence, the accused must have taken reasonable steps to confirm the complainant’s consent, something the Crown argues the players did not do. “The Supreme Court of Canada has been very clear that the reasonable steps requirement will change depending on the context of the sexual activity,” said Gilbert,…

Reasonable steps to confirm consent Daphne Gilbert, a professor of criminal, constitutional and advanced sexual assault law at the University of Ottawa, says it’s possible the judge will find E.M. did not consent, but that some or all of the five accused had an honest mistaken belief that she did. In that defence, the accused must have taken reasonable steps to confirm the complainant’s consent, something the Crown argues the players did not do. “The Supreme Court of Canada has been very clear that the reasonable steps requirement will change depending on the context of the sexual activity,” said Gilbert,…

A Toronto Blue Jays fan is warning others to be vigilant after expensive tickets he bought for his parents were stolen from his online account.  James Somersett said he and his girlfriend saved up to get his parents seats just nine rows from home plate to watch the Jays take on the Chicago White Sox on June 21.  Somersett bought them on StubHub, the ticket reselling platform, but was worried his parents weren’t tech-savvy enough to use the tickets on their phones. So, he called the Blue Jays box office to make sure they could get physical tickets on game…

The accusations against each player Hockey Canada sexual assault trial recap The sexual assault trial of five former world junior hockey players stretched across three months in London, Ont., before finally coming to a close with the last witness. CBC’s Katie Nicholson breaks down some of the key moments and testimony. WARNING: This post contains graphic details. Each of the five accused players is alleged to have had sexual contact with the complainant, known as E.M., without her voluntarily agreeing to those specific acts, prosecutors told the court at trial. It’s alleged McLeod, Hart and Dubé obtained oral sex from…

Toronto tennis fans were served up disappointment after the likes of Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner and other top players dropped out of the National Bank Open this year — a trend experts say could repeat if the tournament structure doesn’t change. The National Bank Open (NBO) expanded from one week to 12-days of competition, with the men facing off in Toronto and the women in Montreal from July 26 to Aug. 7.  This year the tournament comes two weeks after Wimbledon and is immediately followed by the Cincinnati Open and the U.S. Open a week after that.  The change limits the…