(Quebec) The 17-year-old girl had clearly refused a “threesome” in written messages. The two ex-players of the Victoriaville Tigres still decided to wait for him in a hotel room in the Quebec region in June 2021, without ensuring they had his full consent.
One of the players even filmed the sexual encounter without the victim’s knowledge and then rushed to show the video to teammates and a coach.
Nicolas Daigle and Massimo Siciliano, accused of sexually assaulting a 17-year-old girl in the hours following their victory in the President’s Cup final in June 2021, pleaded guilty at the last minute on Wednesday.
The two ex-hockey players who are now 21 years old thus avoid a trial which was scheduled for eleven days. The general manager of the Victoriaville Tigers was to testify.
Evidence seized from players’ cell phones also had to be presented in court and reported by the media. These elements will remain out of the public eye for the moment, by court order.
Nicolas Daigle pleaded guilty to charges of sexual assault, producing a video recording without the victim’s knowledge and sharing the images. Massimo Siciliano, for his part, admitted his guilt to only one count, that of sexual assault.
She “didn’t seem to like it”
The sexual assault occurred on the night of June 5 to 6, 2021. A few hours earlier, the Victoriaville Tigers won their first President’s Cup in nearly 20 years.
According to the factual framework admitted by the defense, the victim, a young employee of the hotel where the team was staying, had fraternized with Daigle and had kissed him. Around 1:30 that evening, Maude* received a series of messages from Daigle on Instagram.
She agrees to come join him in his room, but ensures in a message that he is alone. Daigle replies that he is with a friend. She says she doesn’t want a “threesome.” Daigle reassures her and tells her that he will be alone.
But when Maude enters the room, Daigle is accompanied by Siciliano. He asks her if it bothers her that there are two of them. She feels trapped, answers “no” and Siciliano “quickly undresses” her.
Maude “does what she is asked, but has no pleasure and gives no verbal agreement.” The two drunk players do not wear condoms when they penetrate her vagina and anus.
The two hockey players even admitted in a conversation a few hours after the attack that Maude “didn’t seem to like it.”
“The accused acknowledge, being among other things in a state of intoxication, that they did not take reasonable measures to ensure verbal consent” from Maude, according to the statement of facts.
Even though Maude clearly refuses to be filmed, Daigle decides to film her without her knowledge while she is having sex with Siciliano. Nicolas Daigle then rushes to join other players who are partying at the hotel to show them the video. He even showed it to a Tigers coach, who is not named in the statement of facts.
In the hotel room, Siciliano decides to leave only after the young girl collapses in tears.
Last minute pleas
Both men will receive their sentences at a later date. They are punishable by 10 years of imprisonment.
“The complainant can inspire victims to denounce,” said Crown prosecutor Michel Bérubé at the end of this plea, which represents an obvious victory for the prosecution.
PHOTO JACQUES BOISSINOT, THE CANADIAN PRESS
Crown prosecutor Michel Bérubé invited victims to denounce their attacker.
“It doesn’t matter the status of the attacker, whether it’s a well-known hockey player who won a cup, it doesn’t matter… We invite all victims to denounce,” added Me Bérubé, who is also the prosecutor in Michel Venne’s case.
These pleas came at the “last minute” in the words of Me Berube. It must be said that Judge Thomas Jacques rendered a decision with serious consequences for the defense on October 4, by admitting as evidence the content seized from the players’ cell phones.
As early as Tuesday, at the start of the trial, the four defense lawyers asked to suspend the hearing. Behind closed doors, the Crown and defense agreed on a factual framework. Then the defendants chose to plead guilty.
The Crown and defense have assured that they have not agreed on any joint sentencing recommendation. “There is no concession that has been made to obtain these pleas,” said Mr.e Berube. “I was ready to go to trial, to present the evidence. »
*Maude is a fictitious first name, since an order prohibits naming the victim