The Tweet That Shook Jacob Hoggard’s World
Hedley's frontman faces three sexual offence charges and is to appear in a Toronto court Thursday.
By David Farrell
It started with a tweet by @Cdnpsycho on February 25 when an Ottawa woman accused Hedley frontman and singer Jacob Hoggard of inappropriately grabbing her buttocks outside a bar in Manitoba three years ago, and that comment boomeranged across social media.
It also brought forward other allegations from women and suddenly the poster boy of Canadian pop found himself generating unwanted headlines in world media, abandoned by his manager, his agent, blacklisted by commercial radio stations and the band’s upcoming performance delisted on the spring Juno telecast.
On Monday the controversy became a criminal matter when a Toronto police Sex Crimes Unit investigation of the singer’s alleged behavior led to formal charges in three instances.
Charged with one count of sexual interference and two counts of sexual assault causing bodily harm, it is alleged that on three dates in 2016, Hoggard met with two women on separate occasions and that he committed sexual assault on both of them.
He is now scheduled to appear in court in Toronto on Thursday.
Police are appealing for anyone with information to come forward as they are concerned there may be other victims.
Last week, Hoggard’s lawyer denied any wrongdoing but admitted to “reckless and dismissive” treatment of women in the past.
