Defence targets E.M.’s credibility, judge questions ‘consent videos’ shown at world juniors sex assault trial

Humphrey is now explaining why his client, McLeod, told then London Police Service police investigator Stephen Newton in 2018 that he had no idea why guys started showing up in his room, but that they may have thought there was pizza in the room.

Newton, a now-retired sergeant who testified earlier in this trial, led the first investigation and the case was closed early in 2019 with no charges laid. Newton’s interview with McLeod was recorded in 2018 and played for the court while Newton was testifying.

What McLeod didn’t tell Newton was he’d sent a text to the team group chat asking guys to come to his room for a “3 way,” Humphrey tells the court today.

(McLeod is the only one of the five accused former players who faces an additional charge — of being a party to the offence — for allegedly inviting men back to his hotel room to engage in sex. He’s also pleaded not guilty to that second charge.)

Humphrey says McLeod was “really only inviting a limited number of people” to come to the room and was surprised at the number of people who showed up. Court has heard there were as many as 10 men in the room at one point. Hart is the only player who responded “I’m in” to the “3 way” invitation.

Humphrey says it’s likely his client simply forgot about that “3 way” message and that, “unfortunately,” the detective never searched his client’s phone.