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Former pop star Jacob Hoggard, who was convicted of sexually assaulting a woman in a Toronto hotel room, has been granted day parole for six months.
The parole board stated in its decision that it was denying the former Hedley singer’s request for full parole based on a series of risk factors including a “considerable lack of self-control”.
“Your behaviour has involved violent, degrading, and self-serving actions and has the potential to present a significant risk to society should you face the same urges which prompted your offending,” the decision reads. “It is the Board’s opinion that you will not, by reoffending, present an undue risk to society if released on day parole and that your release will contribute to the protection of society by facilitating your reintegration into society as a law-abiding citizen.”
Hoggard was accused of sexual assault by three women. He was convicted on one count of sexual assault causing bodily harm against a woman the court described as a “young adult” in 2022.
The complainant, who was 19 at the time, said Hoggard raped, choked, hit and urinated on her, and called her names like “dirty little piggy.” She testified that she was scared and crying, and repeatedly said no and tried to fight him off. On two occasions, she ran into the bathroom to throw up, she told the court at the time.
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Hoggard was granted bail when he appealed the court decision shortly after his sentencing in October 2022. In late 2024, that appeal was denied and he began serving his five-year sentence.
In its decision, the board imposed conditions above and beyond those required by Correctional Services of Canada. Hoggard is not allowed to have any contact or communications with females under the age of 18, unless accompanied by an adult aware of his criminal history. He is also only allowed to have one cell phone in his possession and all chat history must be made available to his parole supervisor upon request.
“You have said that you communicated with a 15-year-old female and lied to her with a view to manipulating her into having sex with you. You groomed her over an extended time,” the decision states. “You exploited a position of power with younger females. 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.”
He is also forbidden from having any contact with the victim, who cannot be named under a publication ban, or her family.
“You caused the victim serious harm,” the board says. “This condition serves to protect the victim from further trauma.”
The board concluded that Hoggard’s day parole plan is “reliable” and there are halfway homes in his “home region” that are willing to accommodate him.
The board said Hoggard would not be released to his family in part because he maintained a “fiction of your innocence” during time spent with them prior to his sentencing and “continued misleading them even after your appeal was dismissed.”
The board did recognize Hoggard’s willingness to work on accountability through intervention and therapy and noted that he is “ashamed of what it took” to get where he is now.”
“At intake, you only admitted that you behaved aggressively but denied behaving violently or in a degrading manner and denied that the victim asked you to stop,” the decision said. “After completing correctional programming, you admitted that you did not have the victim’s consent.”
The board affirms the conditions of Hoggard’s parole are “reasonable and necessary in order to protect society, and to facilitate your successful reintegration into society.”
All conditions will remain in place for the entire six months.
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