Taylor Raddysh testifies in hockey sexual assault trial

Content warning: This story includes allegations of sexual assault.

LONDON, Ont. — NHLer Taylor Raddysh said Wednesday he had little recollection of what happened in the Delta Armouries hotel the night of the alleged incident at the centre of the trial of five former NHLers facing sexual assault charges.

Raddysh testified via video conferencing from the Washington Capitals team facility in Arlington, Va.

Raddysh was questioned by assistant Crown attorney Meaghan Cunningham about text messages sent to a group chat from Michael McLeod to 18 of the players from the 2018 Canadian world junior team. Raddysh verified he received and later took screen shots of the messages that were sent, including one sent on June 19, 2018, at 2:10 a.m., that read, “Who wants to be in a 3 way quick.” A response to the group chat from someone using Carter Hart’s phone at 2:19 a.m. reads, “I’m in”.

But when questioned about specifics about what he saw and heard that night almost seven years ago — his hotel room was beside the room of the alleged incident — Raddysh was unable to provide many details, even after referring to the transcript of his comments from a Hockey Canada investigation. He said he saw McLeod, Boris Katchouk and a woman when he went to the room for what he characterized as “a very short time.”

Earlier, the jury had been shown phone videos of the complainant, referred to in court documents as “E.M.” because of a publication ban, after the alleged incident.

A video shown to the court with the timestamp of 3:25 a.m. shows E.M., who is dressed, respond to a male voice that says, “You’re OK with this, right? You’re OK with this?” with, “Yeah, I’m OK.’”

In the video shown after that, with a 4:26 a.m. timestamp, E.M. appears to be wearing only a towel in front of her body and says to the camera, “This was all consensual. I enjoyed it. Are you filming this?” She then adds, “You are so paranoid. I’m so sober — that’s why I can’t do this right now.”

Both videos are from the phone of McLeod.

The videos were shown as part of the appearance by Det. Tiffany Waque, one of the London Police Service officers involved in the investigation of the incident that is alleged to have occurred June 19, 2018, after a Hockey Canada celebration.

Court was also shown videos from the night at Jack’s bar from June 18, 2018, including some of players dancing with E.M. on the crowded dance floor, as well as some of E.M. going to an ATM in the bar, ordering drinks at the bar and, later, leaving the Delta Armouries hotel and getting what appears to be a ride. An Uber receipt introduced as evidence shows she travelled to a redacted address at 5:08 a.m.

McLeod, 27, has been charged with two counts of sexual assault, including one relating to aiding in the offence. Dillon Dube, 26, Cal Foote, 26, Alex Formenton, 25, and Hart, 26, have each been charged with one count of sexual assault. All have pleaded not guilty to their charges.

Testimony is expected to resume on Thursday.