The news comes after the Parole Board of Canada denied the singer’s request for full parole. Hoggard was found guilty of sexually assaulting an Ottawa woman in June 2022 and is currently serving a five-year prison sentence,
Jacob Hoggard’s request for full parole has been denied by the Parole Board of Canada.
According to the parole board, the former Hedley frontman/convicted sex offender requires professional supervision. Instead, the board has granted Hoggard day parole for six months at a halfway house. As obtained by The Globe and Mail, the parole board’s ruling states that he must gradually test the progress he’s made in prison.
The board reportedly has several conditions for Hoggard’s day parole, requesting that he report all relationships with girls and women, never be in the presence of sex workers, nor be in the presence of girls under 18 years old unless accompanied by a responsible adult who is aware of his criminal history and approved by his parole officer. In addition, all messages, social media and other apps will be monitored by Hoggard’s parole officer.
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Hoggard is serving a five-year prison sentence after being found guilty in June 2022 of sexual assault that caused bodily harm against an Ottawa woman, whom he met on the dating app Tinder and later met in Toronto.
In that same trial, he was acquitted of the same charge involving an underage fan but was charged with sexual assault following an incident in Kirkland Lake, Ontario. A jury acquitted Hoggard of those charges in 2024.
It’s because of the allegations that the board decided to impose the conditions of Hoggard’s day parole.
“You exploited a position of power with younger females,” the board’s ruling read. “Your contact with underage females should be supervised, as should your use of telecommunications devices to monitor compliance with your conditions of release and as such, mitigate your risk.”
They continued: “Any gains you have made while serving a sentence should first be tested in a gradual and structured manner before a more liberal form of release.”
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Per their documents, Hoggard told the board that he had “no understanding” of consent at the time of his offence.
This prompted the board to stand on their decision, noting that they have “difficulty seeing how, with no understanding of consent combined with the numerous sexual encounters you had, your admitted view at the time of women as objects, and your interest in violent and degrading sexual behaviour, the index offence was the only time you crossed a boundary.”
While they’ve commended Hoggard’s recent progress in taking accountability for his actions, they note that his previous behaviour has demonstrated “a considerable lack of self control which has had a devastating impact on victims.”
Previously, Hoggard doubled down on his innocence, even after his 2024 appeal was dismissed. Hoggard’s insistence on maintaining innocence extended to his wife and family. Earlier this year, the board’s document said the singer admitted his crimes to his wife, who has remained by his side during the legal proceedings.
“Though your wife and family remain supportive, you have shown your willingness and ability to deceive them for years such that the board believes you require professional, arm’s length supervision,” the board concluded in its ruling.
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Following Hoggard’s initial allegations in 2018, Hedley went on an indefinite hiatus. His charges of sexual assault in 2018 and later trial in 2022 shocked Canadian music and caused ripple effects through the industry.
In their heyday, the Canadian pop-rock group’s seven studio albums reached the top 10 on the Billboard Canadian Albums chart, fronted by 2015’s Hello, which went to No. 1, spending one week at the top. Throughout their career, the band scored eight singles on the Billboard Canadian Hot 100’s top 10, led by their 2012 hit, “Kiss You Inside Out,” which reached No. 2, becoming their highest-charting song.
