HALIFAX – Halifax police said Tuesday they continue to conduct interviews as part of the investigation into an alleged sexual assault involving members of Canada’s 2003 world junior team, and no charges have been laid.
“At this point, the investigation is still ongoing,” Halifax Regional Police Constable John MacLeod told Sportsnet. “Our investigators are looking into a number of different leads in relation to this. And, again, they continue to speak with individuals and gather information in relation to the investigation.”
MacLeod would not comment as to whether police have seen a video that purportedly shows, as previously reported by the CBC, “an extremely intoxicated” woman at the centre of a group sexual activity that is said to include players from the 2003 world junior team. Halifax opened its investigation after TSN first reported the existence of the video.
“With an investigation of this nature that comes with a historic nature that happened a number of years ago, there certainly can be complexities in relation to a gathering of evidence and individuals, locating them, or even scenes or evidence that may or may not be there,” MacLeod said of the investigation.
He would not say whether Halifax police have obtained a statement from a victim.
The Halifax investigation was opened shortly after TSN reported in May that Hockey Canada had settled a lawsuit brought by a woman accusing players with Canada’s 2018 world junior team of a group sexual assault.
None of the allegations have been proven in court.
“A message from our investigators is that they want people to know that there is no statute of limitations,” MacLeod said. “It is important for victims to know that they can come forward at any time and speak with police, so that we can help them and, like I say, depending on what stage they are in their healing, what help we can provide them may be different.”
5:31
