Nicolas Daigle and Massimo Siciliano are contesting the seizure of their cell phones as part of their arrest for sexual assault.
Yannick Bergeron (Consult the profile)Yannick Bergeron
Teenage girl sexually assaulted by two major junior hockey players “can inspire victims to speak out, regardless of the status of their attacker; whether it's a well-known hockey player who won a cup, or whoever we're talking about,” insisted the prosecutor, Me Michel Bérubé, in the case of Nicolas Daigle and Massimo Siciliano.
< p class="StyledBodyHtmlParagraph-sc-48221190-4 hNZoeU">The two former color wearers of the Victoriaville Tigers admitted their guilt to a charge of sexual assault, before Judge Thomas Jacques of the Court of Quebec.
Daigle also admitted to filming the 17-year-old victim without her knowledge in addition to making the content of this video accessible.
Open in full screen mode
Nicolas Daigle, left, and Massimo Siciliano, right, admitted their guilt to the charges, Quebec courthouse, Wednesday.
Leaving the courtroom, Me Bérubé praised “the courage and resilience” of the complainant who had to live for several months with “the apprehensions of this trial”.
The trial was to open on Tuesday, with the filing of video evidence by the prosecution, which subsequently intended to have the victim testify.
Daigle and Siciliano's lawyers, however, requested time to discuss, leading to a new outcome on Wednesday afternoon.
The prosecution and the defense agreed on a factual framework of events, which both accused accepted.
Open in full screen mode
Michel Bérubé, prosecutor of the Director of Criminal and Penal Prosecutions
The attack occurred in a room at the Entourage-sur-le-Lac hotel in Lac-Beauport, where the Tigres were staying to celebrate their conquest of the President's Cup, which they had just won at the Videotron Center , in June 2021.
In the evening, Daigle communicated via Instagram with the victim, whom he met at the hotel. They met in the parking lot where they “consensually kissed,” the summary of facts states.
Open in full screen mode
The Entourage sur-le-Lac hotel in Lac Beauport. The victim was an employee of the establishment.
The teenager, however, refuses to spend the night at the hotel which she is going to leave. Daigle will communicate with her again via Instagram, a little later, and she will finally agree to go and join him at the hotel.
She then insists on being alone with him, after Daigle asks if the presence of a friend bothers her.
She replies that she wants to be alone with him a few times and refuses in writing a three-way sexual relationship.
A quote from the factual plot
However, when she arrives at the hotel room, she finds herself face to face with Daigle and Massimo Siciliano whom she did not know.
He then asks her if her presence is disturbing. “She feels trapped and says no,” the court document reads.
As soon as he hears the response, “Massimo Siscilano quickly undresses the complainant.”
Sex will follow, then that Daigle and Siciliano did not take reasonable measures to ensure the valid consent of the victim, they admit.
The teenager does what she is asked, “but has no pleasure and gives no verbal agreement during the act.”
After the attack, the two teammates will also recognize “that she didn't seem to like it.”
While the victim had expressed her refusal to be filmed, Daigle produced a video of her and Siciliano, without their knowledge.
Nicolas Daigle joins his other teammates who continue their celebrations and shows the video to members of the hockey team and a coach.
Open in full screen mode
Nicolas Daigle in the Victoriaville Tigres uniform.
Still in the room with the victim, Sicialiano insists on continuing the sexual relations. The victim indicates that she is no longer interested, but the hockey player continues anyway.
After a few minutes, she goes to the bathroom to cry . “Massimo Siciliano then noticed the situation, left the room and left her alone,” the summary of facts states.
She will file a complaint with the police the next day.
After admitting their guilt, Daigle, Siciliano and their lawyers quickly left the courthouse without making any complaint. comment.
The case will return to Judge Jacques at the end of the month, to determine the date of observations on the sentence.
It seems clear to me that they are exposed to a detention sentence
A quote from Me Michel Bérubé, prosecutor for criminal and penal prosecutions (DPCP)
The Quebec Major Junior League (QMJHL) indicated that it had become aware of the guilt of its former members, who were suspended after their indictment.
“This outcome shows us that regardless of your status in your community or in society, no one is above the law,” said the League adding that “this situation proves to us once again the relevance of continuing our mission of prevention and education for players.”
Speaking of inadmissible and unacceptable actions, the management of the Tigers insisted on its collaboration with the authorities during the last two years.
Yannick Bergeron (Consult the profile)Yannick BergeronFollow
Teilor Stone has been a reporter on the news desk since 2013. Before that she wrote about young adolescence and family dynamics for Styles and was the legal affairs correspondent for the Metro desk. Before joining Thesaxon , Teilor Stone worked as a staff writer at the Village Voice and a freelancer for Newsday, The Wall Street Journal, GQ and Mirabella. To get in touch, contact me through my teilor@nizhtimes.com 1-800-268-7116
