Jacob Hoggard Denied Bail By Ontario's Top Court

Former Hedley singer Jacob Hoggard has been denied bail and will stay behind bars after a justice with Ontario's Appeal Court dismissed his application for bail as he tries to appeal his sexual assault conviction.

Hoggard's lawyers argued his case for bail to Justice Jill Copeland, not long after the Hedley frontman began serving his five-year sentence

His application to the Supreme Court argues that the Appeal Court did not apply the proper test in determining whether an error made by the trial judge constituted a "harmless error."

The judge added that with Hoggard's conviction being unanimously affirmed by the Appeal Court and "appears unlikely" he will be granted leave to appeal by the Supreme Court, she believes the public interest in upholding his sentence outweighs his interest in a second review of the conviction.

Earlier this week, Hoggard admitted to receiving threats while in he was kept in custody and has spent time in solitary confinement.

The former Hedley frontman was found guilty in June 2022 of sexual assault causing bodily harm against an Ottawa woman. He was later sentenced to five years behind bars, but released on bail hours later, pending his appeal. He has since begun serving his sentence.

Last month, Ontario’s top court upheld the sexual assault conviction of musician Jacob Hoggard, after he appealed the ruling. The decision to dismiss the appeal was unanimous after the appeal court found that no substantial wrong or miscarriage of justice occurred at trial.