Singer Jacob Hoggard leaves a Toronto courthouse alongside his wife Rebekah Asselstine following his preliminary hearing where it was determined that his sexual assault case will go to trial, July 12, 2019 in Toronto, Canada. Hoggard, frontman of the band Hedley, has pleaded not guilty to charges of sexual interference and sexual assault causing bodily harm. His trial has been delayed due to COVID-19.Cole Burston/Getty Images
Canadian musician Jacob Hoggard, the frontman for the band Hedley, has once again seen his sexual-assault trial postponed as a result of COVID-19 restrictions.
Mr. Hoggard was initially set to stand trial in January, 2021, but it was pushed back to April of that year, and then again to this month.
Now, as jury trials are again put on hold owing to the pandemic, his case has been delayed once more.
The Ontario Superior Court of Justice announced in mid-December that there would be no new jury selection until at least Feb. 7 in light of the highly contagious Omicron variant.
However, it said the decision to continue or pause jury trials already under way would be left to the presiding judge.
Mr. Hoggard pleaded not guilty at his preliminary hearing to sexual assault causing bodily harm and sexual interference.
The singer was arrested and charged in 2018 in alleged incidents involving a woman and a teenager.
At the time, police said the charges stemmed from three separate incidents that allegedly took place in the Toronto area in 2016.
Neither complainant can be identified because of a publication ban.
An investigation was launched earlier that year after allegations surfaced suggesting Mr. Hoggard had inappropriate encounters with young fans.
Months before his arrest, Mr. Hoggard issued a statement in which he acknowledged having behaved in a way that “objectified women” but denied any non-consensual sexual conduct.
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