Jacob Hoggard’s defense points to inconsistencies in his accuser’s testimony

The 37-year-old musician is accused of inappropriate sexual contact with a minor and sexual assault causing injury to an adult and the same teenager who has been testifying since Thursday at the hearings.

Jacob Hoggard’s defense went on the offensive, first noting contradictions in the complainant’s testimony at trial and in that she presented at her client’s preliminary hearing in 2019.

Some dates and some facts do not match and the young woman even acknowledges that she has made corrections to the text of her initial statement.

However, I had a better memory than three years agoexplains the complainant, whose identity is protected by a publication ban.

The singer’s lawyer, Megan Savard, also mentions to the 21-year-old woman that she often uses the conditional and that her words lack certainty, because she does not remember the durations of certain events.

She suggests that the Complainant changes her story, that she forgets specific details in her meetings with her client and that she misunderstands events in time.

End of the interrogation

The young woman had courageously recounted in great detail earlier on the stand the rape of which she says she was the victim in a hotel at Pearson airport in Toronto on September 30, 2016.

She explained that Jacob Hoggard had invited her there under pretexts, promising her a lunch with his music group and a sightseeing tour of the metropolis.

I was surprised to find myself in his room, but the group was not thereshe says [la femme a 16 ans à l’époque et le chanteur 33, NDLR].

She said she didn’t recognize him right away, because he was wearing a mustache and sunglasses.

She pointed out that the singer was aggressive and inconvenienced by the cannabis whose smell on his clothes [la] revolted.

The young woman then said that he had started to kiss her a little quickly against her will, but that she could not bear his embrace because he smelled so bad. I wanted to leave himshe continues.

She claimed that Jacob Hoggard did not listen to her, that he forcibly pushed her onto the bed to undress her and rape her.

He hurt me, he insulted me and he spat on meshe said, pulling herself together, a handkerchief in her hand, in the witness box.

She said she was crying and begging him to stop, but her ordeal lasted more than two hours. Even a cell phone call [du chanteur] didn’t interrupt himshe recalls.

” I don’t understand how such a gentle, kind and flattering man could so quickly become a disrespectful, vulgar and lacking in empathy monster. »

The complainant pointed out that she had taken advantage of her absence in the bathroom to call a friend and make the singer believe that her employer was expecting her at work earlier than expected that day.

She said she went to a friend’s house to change and wash up. I was sore and found that I was bleeding and had bruises all over my body.

She admits that she did not agree to go to the hospital for a vaginal laceration as her friend suggested.

The young woman clarified that she had finally revealed everything to her mother and that she had been to the hospital for examinations.

She also explained that she refused at the time to file a complaint with the police, because she thought she would be able to overcome her ordeal. I was embarrassed, I felt dirty and I was scaredshe admits.

She maintains that she subsequently experienced certain moments of panic, nightmares and flashbacks.

A report by CBCCanadian Broadcasting Corporation about a second plaintiff will finally convince her to file a complaint against the singer in March 2018.

Cross-examination

The defense questions the veracity of the events at the hotel. Me Savard suggests, for example, that the young woman did nothing to leave the room when her client left to go to the bathroom.

The complainant acknowledges that she remained naked on the bed for at least four minutes instead of getting up and getting dressed immediately.

Me Savard also notes that the complainant did not call 911 or even a member of her family when she had her cell phone with her.

They were all at work and I knew my friend was going to get back to me faster.explains the complainant.

You could have run down the hall, especially since the door wasn’t locked, take the elevator and call a taxiasks the lawyer.

Me Savard reminds the court that the young woman rather waited for Jacob Hoggard to bring a limousine to the hotel to drive her home, as he had done on the outward journey.

I was afraid of him and I was afraid that he would quickly come out of the bathroom to prevent me from going outshe answers.

teenage love

Hoggard’s Defense portrays a naive teenage girl who had a crush on her client since her first gig at age 10, fell in love with him, and collected memorabilia about the Hedley band.

A fact that the plaintiff readily accepts, even today. I was 5 the first time I heard their musicshe says.

The young woman had also admitted in her testimony that she took screenshots of all their text messages for her collage album.

Me Savard adds that their first communications were very innocuous in pre-adolescence, but that over time they led to a romantic relationshipthen to a personal relationship of a sexual nature.

The lawyer, however, pointed out to the complainant that all compromising messages that preceded or followed the meeting of September 30, 2016 have been erased and that they do not appear in the screenshots that she used to seize when she was younger.

Some messages were inappropriate as far as you are concerned?asks Me Savard, suggesting that they should mention that the complainant wanted to have sex with her client.

I actually deleted some of them, because they were hurtful to me and I felt like I was being victimized again.she defends herself by referring to the messages she received when leaving the hotel.

Me Savard also suggests that the complainant continued to communicate with her client after that date, contrary to what she claims, but that she deleted the text messages.

No, I never contacted him again after that dayshe concludes.

Cross-examination continues Monday.