Police apologize to woman at center of 2018 sexual assault case that has rocked Canadian hockey

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The NHL will wait for the judicial process to play out before making any decisions about players involved in the 2018 sexual assault case. (Feb 2).

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The police chief in London, Ontario, issued a public apology to a woman who was allegedly sexually assaulted in 2018 by five hockey players — four of them current NHLers —for the length of time it took his department to issue charges. (Feb. 5)

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London, Ontario, Police Detective Sgt. Katherine Dann, of the Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Section, speaks during a news conference in London, Monday, Feb. 5, 2024. The police chief of London, Ontario, issued a public apology on Monday to a woman who says she was sexually assaulted by five hockey players on Canada’s 2018 world junior team— four of them currently in the NHL — for the length of time it took his department to complete its investigation of a case that has rocked the sport for years. (Geoff Robins/The Canadian Press via AP)

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London, Ontario, Police Chief Thai Truong attends a news conference in London, Monday, Feb. 5, 2024. The police chief issued a public apology on Monday to a woman who says she was sexually assaulted by five hockey players on Canada’s 2018 world junior team— four of them currently in the NHL — for the length of time it took his department to complete its investigation of a case that has rocked the sport for years. (Geoff Robins/The Canadian Press via AP)

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FILE - Philadelphia Flyers’ goaltender Carter Hart in action during an NHL hockey game against the Colorado Avalanche, Saturday, Jan. 20, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Derik Hamilton, File)

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FILE - New Jersey Devils’ Michael McLeod watches during a break in an NHL hockey game, Thursday, Nov. 30, 2023, in Philadelphia. McLeod has been charged in connection with an investigation into an alleged sexual assault by several members of Canada’s 2018 world junior team, his lawyers said Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum, File)

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FILE - Calgary Flames center Dillon Dube (29) skates against the Detroit Red Wings in the first period of an NHL hockey game Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023, in Detroit. Michael McLeod of the NHL’s New Jersey Devils and Dube of the Flames have been charged in connection with an investigation into an alleged sexual assault by several members of Canada’s 2018 world junior team. Lawyers for each player say they will plead not guilty in London, Ontario. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya, File)

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FILE - Ottawa Senators’ Alex Formenton skates during an NHL hockey game, Friday, April 29, 2022, in Philadelphia. Five players from Canada’s 2018 world junior team have taken a leave of absence from their respective clubs in recent days amid a report that five members of that team have been asked to surrender to police to face sexual assault charges. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum, File)

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FILE - New Jersey Devils defenseman Cal Foote (52) during warm up before an NHL hockey game, against the Buffalo Sabres Friday, Oct. 27, 2023, in Newark, N.J. Five players from Canada’s 2018 world junior team have taken a leave of absence from their respective clubs in recent days amid a report that five members of that team have been asked to surrender to police to face sexual assault charges. Five players from Canada’s 2018 world junior team — Hart, McLeod, Dube, Formenton, Hart and Cal Foote of the Devils — have taken leaves from their current clubs.(AP Photo/Noah K. Murray, File)

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FILE - A giant jersey with a Hockey Canada logo is displayed at the CIS All-Stars exhibition hockey game in Calgary, Alberta, on Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2011. Hockey is bracing for the next development in a scandal that has rocked the sport and led to multiple investigations into the actions of several prominent NHL players who were on Canada’s gold-medal winning 2018 world junior team. Police in London, Ontario, scheduled a news conference for Feb. 5, 2024, to provide details about its sexual assault investigation involving members of Canada’s world junior team. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP, File)

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FIEL - A Hockey Canada logo is displayed on a door at the organization’s head office in Calgary, Alberta, Thursday, Jan. 11, 2024. Hockey is bracing for the next development in a scandal that has rocked the sport and led to multiple investigations into the actions of several prominent NHL players who were on Canada’s gold-medal winning 2018 world junior team. Police in London, Ontario, scheduled a news conference for Feb. 5, 2024, to provide details about its sexual assault investigation involving members of Canada’s world junior team. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP, File)

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FILE - The Canadian team poses for a photo after winning the gold medal with a 3-1 win over Sweden during the third period the title game of the IIHF world junior hockey championships, Friday, Jan. 5, 2018, in Buffalo, N.Y. Five players from Canada’s 2018 world junior team have taken a leave of absence from their respective clubs in recent days amid a report that five members of that team have been asked to surrender to police to face sexual assault charges. New Jersey’s Michael McLeod and Cal Foote, Philadelphia’s Carter Hart, Calgary’s Dillon Dube and former NHL player Alex Formenton have all been granted indefinite leave, with the absences announced this week. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP, File)

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Media gather in front of the courthouse in London, Ontario on Monday, Feb. 5, 2024. The sexual assault case against five former members of Canada’s world junior hockey team will return to court at the end of April. (Geoff Robins/The Canadian Press via AP)

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London, Ontario, Police Chief Thai Truong speaks during a news conference in London, Monday, Feb. 5, 2024. The police chief issued a public apology on Monday to a woman who says she was sexually assaulted by five hockey players on Canada’s 2018 world junior team— four of them currently in the NHL — for the length of time it took his department to complete its investigation of a case that has rocked the sport for years. (Geoff Robins/The Canadian Press via AP)

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By JOHN WAWROW and STEPHEN WHYNO

LONDON, Ontario (AP) — The police chief of London, Ontario, issued a public apology on Monday to a woman who says she was sexually assaulted by five hockey players on Canada’s 2018 world junior team — including four now currently in the NHL — for the length of time it took to complete an investigation of a case that has rocked the sport for years.

It will, however, take much longer for Chief Thai Truong to provide any specifics as to why it took nearly six years for charges to be filed, and what led to the initial investigation to be closed in 2019 before being reopened in 2022.

“I want to extend on behalf of the London Police service my sincerest apology to the victim, to her family for the amount of time that it has taken to reach this point,” Truong said at a news conference with dozens of reporters on hand.

“This should not take this long. It shouldn’t take years and years for us to arrive to the outcome of today,” he added. “But I can assure you, I am confident, confident that this will not happen again.”

As for what caused the delay and how it reflects on his department, Truong repeatedly said he was unable to get into the details because they have the potential of compromising prosecution of the case; that could include having those involved in the initial and second investigation being called as witnesses.

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The 45-minute news conference marked the first time police in Ontario’s fifth-largest city, about halfway between Toronto and Detroit, have commented on the case since filing charges against the players accused of assaulting the woman in a downtown hotel room.

The players charged with one count each of sexual assault are Philadelphia Flyers goalie Carter Hart, Michael McLeod and Cal Foote of the New Jersey Devils, Dillon Dube of the Calgary Flames and former NHL player Alex Formenton. McLeod also faces a charge of “being a party to the offense,” which police said was for aiding someone else in committing the offense.

Attorneys for all five players have said their clients are not guilty and will defend themselves against the allegations. The players — who are all on leave from their teams — surrendered to London police over the past week and were released on unspecified conditions.

During a brief video hearing Monday with only attorneys present, prosecutors obtained an order protecting the identity of the woman, which is standard in sexual assault cases, as well as that of two witnesses. Prosecutor Heather Donkers also said defense attorneys would receive “substantial” evidence in the next few days. The next hearing was scheduled for April 30.

Detective Sgt. Katherine Dann of the Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Section said the reopened investigation found reasonable and probable grounds to bring the charges, which could bring jail time if there are convictions.

Dann oversaw the investigation once it was reopened under now-retired police chief Steve Williams, and was not part of the initial investigation. She said some of the evidence uncovered “was not available when the investigation concluded in 2019.”

Like Truong, Dann was unable to answer many specifics, including whether others might be charged. T here were 22 players on the 2018 team

The case has shadowed Canadian hockey for years.

A woman sued Hockey Canada in 2022, alleging she was sexually assaulted in a hotel room by eight members of the gold medal-winning world junior team after a fundraising gala in London in June 2018. Hockey Canada settled the lawsuit, and then an investigation revealed the organization had two secret slush funds to pay out settlements on claims of sexual assault and abuse.

London police dropped their investigation in 2019 but began an internal investigation in July 2022. Around the same time, the NHL launched its own investigation, though the results of that likely will not be released until the legal case is resolved.

“At this stage, the most responsible and prudent thing for us to do is await the conclusion of the judicial proceedings, at which point we will respond as appropriate at the time,” Commissioner Gary Bettman said Friday at All-Star Weekend in Toronto. Players on leave will continue to be paid through the rest of the season, though their respective clubs will get salary cap relief for them.

Bettman said the league found out about the allegations on May 26, 2022. He said the NHL interviewed every player from that team, adding the woman involved declined to take part in the investigation.

Hockey Canada said it has cooperated fully with London Police throughout its investigation.

“Hockey Canada recognizes that in the past we have been too slow to act and that in order to deliver the meaningful change that Canadians expect of us, we must work diligently and urgently to ensure that we are putting in place the necessary measures to regain their trust, and provide all participants with a safe, welcoming and inclusive environment on and off the ice,” said Katherine Henderson, who was named Hockey Canada president and CEO in July.

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Whyno reported from Ashburn, Virginia. The Canadian Press contributed.

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AP hockey: https://apnews.com/hub/hockey