(Toronto) An Ontario judge tightened bail conditions for Jacob Hoggard on Monday, a day after the Hedley singer was convicted of sexual assault causing bodily harm to a woman. of Ottawa, but not guilty of the same offense against a teenage fan.
Posted at 2:14 p.m.
Ontario Superior Court Judge Gillian Roberts acknowledged that “the prospect of a long prison sentence greatly increases the incentive to flee” and referred to the need to maintain public confidence in the administration of Justice.
However, she said the risk of absconding and the “strong public interest in accountability” can be addressed with tighter restrictions rather than revoking Jacob Hoggard’s bail until sentencing. as requested by prosecutors.
Under the new terms, Jacob Hoggard must remain at his home in Vancouver or another pre-approved address and be home between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., except for emergencies or approved commitments.
He must also remain in British Columbia, except for court appearances in Toronto, and submit to regular checks and random compliance visits.
Jacob Hoggard’s wife, who has also pledged to post his $200,000 bond, is one of two people selected to monitor his compliance.
This amount is “enough for Mr. Hoggard to concentrate on complying with the conditions of release and appearing in court, otherwise he risks the ordeal of losing this money to his wife and, by extension , to his son,” Judge Roberts said.
The 37-year-old musician had pleaded not guilty to two counts of sexual assault causing bodily harm — one related to each plaintiff — and one count of sexual interference, a charge that refers to sexual touching of a person under the age of 16 years old.
During the trial, prosecutors alleged that Jacob Hoggard brutally and repeatedly raped the two complainants in separate incidents in the fall of 2016. They also alleged that he groped the teenager after a Hedley concert, in April 2016, when she was 15 years old.
The defense argued that the touching never happened and that Jacob Hoggard had consensual sex with each of the complainants.