Hedley singer Jacob Hoggard charged with sexual assault
After months of public discussion, Jacob Hoggard, lead singer of the band Hedley, was arrested and charged with sexual assault in Toronto on Monday.
Police charged him with one count sexual interference and two counts of sexual assault causing bodily harm.
The Criminal Code says sexual interference involves the touching for a sexual purpose, directly or indirectly, of a person under the age of 16 with a part of the body or with an object.
The charges stem from three separate incidents in 2016 that involved one woman and a girl.
Hoggard was accused of sexual misconduct in the wake of the #MeToo movement, and his band went on indefinite hiatus earlier this year. Police say they suspect there are more victims.
Among those making the allegations was a Calgary radio host, Katie Summers, who said Hoggard touched her inappropriately seven years ago.
On Twitter, many people shared stories of Hoggard offering to buy underage girls drinks, while others said he touched them inappropriately without their consent.
Hoggard’s lawyer declined comment in an email to Global News.
“Other than statements I may make in court, I do not anticipate making any public comment on this matter,” Ian Smith said.
Hoggard has previously denied any wrong-doing, saying he has never engaged in any form of non-consensual sexual behaviour, but apologized for his “reckless and dismissive” treatment of women in the past.
He also announced that he would be putting his career on hold in February, saying he would make real changes in his life, seek guidance from his family and learn from the “amazing women in my life.”
He will appear in court on Thursday.
Jacob Hoggard, 34, charged in Sexual Assault investigation. Man’s photograph released. Police concerned there may be other victims. If you believe you are or may be a victim contact Toronto Police Sex Crimes Detective Constable James Thompson 416-808-7474 #GO505486 pic.twitter.com/GoQaew4NPN
— TPS Sex Crimes (@TPSSexCrimes) July 23, 2018
Katie Summers from Calgary radio show AMP Mornings with Katie and Ed at 90.3 AMP shared an experience she said happened about seven years ago when Hoggard was a guest at the station.
“This person who sings in this band made a really inappropriate comment to me and also touched me inappropriately,” Summers said in a video posted to Twitter on Wednesday morning. “And that person was Jacob Hoggard from Hedley.
“I’m definitely not saying he raped somebody or did any of the things he’s being accused of, but this is what he did to me.”
Summers said at the time, she wasn’t ready to talk about the experience, suggesting she didn’t want to be a whistleblower or “ruin someone’s career.”
“In that moment, I really just chalked it up to obnoxious behavior.”
Summers said she doesn’t believe Hoggard would remember the incident.
“We’re talking about a guy who does a million interviews, at a million radio stations, but I remember it.”
Summers said she’d been star struck, asked to be part of a photo op with four or five other people in the room, and told Hoggard she’d been a fan for a long time. She said he replied:
“’Oh cool, well maybe if you’re lucky I’ll let you come out into the back alley with me and’–I don’t want to say it because it’s graphic–but he basically said I could give him oral sex, if I was lucky.
“We took a photo and in that moment, I was like, ‘What?’”
Summers said he then “gave my butt a quick little slap and out the door he went.”
Global News spoke to one of the witnesses Summers says was in the room at the time. That witness said he saw Hoggard grab Summers’ buttocks, but does not remember the specific comment that was made.
