Content advisory: This article includes graphic language and details of alleged sexual assault

LONDON, ONT. – Michael McLeod, one of five former members of Canada’s 2018 world junior hockey team on trial for sexual assault, lied to a police investigator when he said he had no clue why his former teammates kept showing up to his hotel room during the early-morning hours of June 19, 2018, Crown attorney Meaghan Cunningham said in court on Wednesday.

Cunningham made the assertion during her closing statement in the high-profile trial, suggesting to Justice Maria Carroccia that McLeod lied in the police interview to help further a false narrative he was crafting – that E.M., the complainant in the case whose identity is protected by a publication ban, asked him to invite his teammates back to his room for group sex.

“[E.M.] did not make an affirmative voluntary choice to engage in those sexual acts, therefore she did not consent,” Cunningham said. “[The defendants] did not take reasonable steps in the circumstances to actually confirm her consent.”

The men who engaged in sex acts with E.M. did so recklessly in the absence of “sincere discussion about her desires and her limits,” Cunningham said.

Cunningham played for the court a brief portion of McLeod’s interview with now-retired London police sergeant Stephen Newton on Nov. 17, 2018.

McLeod told Newton during that interview that he didn’t know why players were arriving to his room. At 2:10 a.m. on June 19, 2018, McLeod sent all of his teammates a message that said, “Whose up for a 3 way quick. 209-mikey.”

Five minutes later, at 2:15 am, McLeod texted teammate Taylor Raddysh a message that said, “Come to my room if u want a gummer” (Gummer is slang for oral sex.)

During the November 2018 interview, Newton asked McLeod why players were showing up at his room.

“Mr. McLeod says, ‘I don’t know, it’s a complete mystery to me,’” Cunningham said. “Detective Newton asks, ‘Were you sending any of those messages?’ and Mr. McLeod says, ‘No I was not. I just sent a message to a few people saying there was food. I did mention that there was a girl, but that’s all.’”

McLeod also told Newton that he and other players were “shocked” when E.M. allegedly began inviting them to have sex with her.

“It’s not just that he didn't mention that he sent those texts. He outright lies to Detective Newton,” Cunningham said. “We know from the texts that he........

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