Jacob Hoggard

Jacob William Hoggard (born July 9, 1984) is a Canadian musician who was the lead singer for the pop rock band Hedley. Hoggard competed on the second season of Canadian Idol in 2004, where he placed third.

In 2018, Hoggard was arrested and charged with sexual assault against two women. In 2022, he was convicted on one count of sexual assault causing bodily harm, and acquitted on the other charge. He was sentenced to five years imprisonment. In 2024, he was found not guilty of a third charge of sexual assault by a jury in northeastern Ontario. After an appeal was dismissed by the Ontario Court of Appeal in 2024, Hoggard began serving a five-year sentence.

Early life

Jacob Hoggard was born on July 9, 1984, in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He was raised in Abbotsford, British Columbia, and Surrey, British Columbia.<ref name="Dose">Template:Cite magazine</ref> He is of partial Italian origin.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He was educated in Surrey, British Columbia, at Senator Reid Elementary School and Mennonite Educational Institute, Yale Secondary School in Abbotsford and at L.A. Matheson Secondary School, he was also in the City Central Learning Centre.<ref>"Jacob Hoggard" Template:Dead link, Movie Tome. Retrieved 19 November 2007.</ref> Before appearing on Canadian Idol, Hoggard worked as a construction worker.<ref name="Dose"/>

Career

In 2003, Hoggard formed the band Hedley with Kevin Giesbrecht, Kevin Heeres, Ryan Federau, and Brandon McKay. Hoggard eventually started his career on Canadian Idol,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> who was challenged by his bandmates to appear on the show.<ref name="The Canadian Encyclopedia">Template:Cite web</ref> He appeared on the second season of the show and auditioned in Vancouver after he had "been dragged to the audition after work" by his high school sweetheart performing "Forever in Blue Jeans".<ref name="NP Hoggard">Template:Cite web</ref> He advanced to the top 30 performing Billy Joel's "Only the Good Die Young". He soon made it to the top ten where he sang the songs "Put Your Head on My Shoulder" and "Space Oddity".<ref name="NP Hoggard"/> Hoggard placed third on the show.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

After Canadian Idol, he re-formed Hedley with Dave Rosin, Tommy Mac and Chris Crippin and signed to Universal Music Canada in 2005.<ref name="AllMusic Bio">Template:Cite web</ref> The band later released their debut single "On My Own", which reached number one on the Canadian Singles Chart.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> They released the albums Hedley, Famous Last Words and The Show Must Go in 2005, 2007 and 2009, respectively.<ref name="AllMusic Bio"/> Hoggard went on to produce the band's next four studio releases, Storms (2011),<ref name=Stormsbooklet>Template:Cite AV media notes</ref> Wild Life (2013),<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Hello (2015)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and Cageless (2017).<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> He also co-wrote many of the group's hits including "Crazy for You", "Perfect", "For the Nights I Can't Remember" and "Anything".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Hoggard along with Brian Howes was nominated at the 2014 Juno Awards for Producer of the Year.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2008, he co-wrote the songs "Tonight, I Love You" and "Kids" for Canadian pop rock band The Latency.<ref>Template:Cite AV media notes</ref> In 2010, Hoggard part taken in Young Artists for Haiti to perform a rendition of K'naan's "Wavin' Flag".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The song topped the Canadian Hot 100.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> In 2012, he also took part in Artists Against Bullying to record and release a remake of Cyndi Lauper's "True Colors" for Bullying Awareness Week.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Hoggard hosted the Juno Awards of 2015.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He co-wrote the single "Highway" by Canadian rock band Bleeker.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Personal life

Hoggard married his high school sweetheart in 2005, which ended in divorce in 2009.<ref>Stevenson, Jane (29 December 2009). "Hedley singer gets personal with new CD Template:Webarchive", London Free Press. Retrieved 18 December 2011.</ref> Hoggard married Canadian actress Rebekah Asselstine on December 31, 2018.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Hoggard along with Hedley, partnered with Free The Children, travelling to Kenya in 2010 and India in 2011, promoting awareness about poverty and helping those in need.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> He also became the ambassador for the Canadian Cancer Society and precursor to WE Charity.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Sexual offences

London investigation, 2005

In 2005, Hoggard and his band members were investigated in connection with a sexual assault in London, Ontario. A minor was found unconscious and shoeless outside a venue where the band had played, with Rohypnol detected in her blood. The police investigation ended when the victim refused a rape kit and the band sent a letter to the venue management stating that any discussion of the incident would result in a lawsuit.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Sexual assault conviction: Toronto, 2022

In March 2018, Hoggard announced an indefinite hiatus from his music career.<ref>Template:Cite tweet</ref> During this period, he made a living as a carpenter in British Columbia.<ref>Template:Cite tweet</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

On July 23, 2018, two weeks after his 34th birthday, Hoggard was charged with one count of sexual interference and two counts of sexual assault causing bodily harm, involving a child under 16 and an adult woman.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> His trial, initially scheduled for November 28, 2018,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> was postponed multiple times before commencing on May 2, 2022.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On June 5, 2022, a Toronto jury found 37-year-old Hoggard guilty of sexual assault causing bodily harm against an Ottawa woman in the fall of 2016.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Hoggard was also acquitted of sexually assaulting a 16-year-old fan and one count of sexual interference.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On October 20, 2022, Hoggard was sentenced to five years in prison.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Sexual assault acquittal: Kirkland Lake, 2024

Hoggard was also charged in March 2022 with sexual assault causing bodily harm regarding a June 2016 encounter in Kirkland Lake, Ontario; the charge was made public on June 2. Hoggard was scheduled to appear in court on August 4, 2022.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The complainant testified in September 2024 that Hoggard allegedly raped, hit, and choked her before urinating on her in a hotel room after a Hedley concert.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Hoggard was acquitted of the charge on October 4, 2024.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>"Jury finds Jacob Hoggard not guilty of sexual assault", Canadian Press / CBC, October 4, 2024.</ref>

Appeals: 2024

On August 16, 2024, the Ontario Court of Appeal upheld Hoggard's 2022 sexual assault conviction, dismissing his appeal and confirming his five-year prison sentence. On receiving the decision of the Court of Appeal, Hoggard turned himself in and began to serve his sentence behind bars.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> On September 4, 2024, Hoggard filed a notice that he would apply to the Supreme Court of Canada for leave to appeal the decision of the Court of Appeal.<ref>Supreme Court of Canada –Case Information – 41417 Jacob Hoggard v. His Majesty the King, September 9, 2024.</ref>

On September 13, a judge of the Ontario Court of Appeal dismissed Hoggard's application for bail pending his application for leave to appeal to the Supreme Court.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Hoggard withdrew his application for leave to appeal on October 4, 2024.<ref>"Jacob Hoggard abandons bid to challenge 2022 conviction before Canada’s top court", Canadian Press / CBC, October 10, 2024.</ref>

Discography

• Hedley (2005)
• Famous Last Words (2007)
• The Show Must Go (2009)
• Storms (2011)
• Wild Life (2013)
• Hello (2015)
• Cageless (2017)

Filmography

Week	Theme	Song choice	Artist	Result
Audition	N/A	"Forever in Blue Jeans"	Neil Diamond	Advanced
Top 32		"Only the Good Die Young"	Billy Joel
Top 10	Canadian Hits	"Put Your Head on My Shoulder"	Paul Anka	Safe
Top 9	British Invasion	"Space Oddity"	David Bowie
Top 8	Rock & Roll	"Everything"	Lifehouse
Top 7	Lionel Richie	"Brick House"	Lionel Richie
Top 6	Gordon Lightfoot	"Sundown"	Gordon Lightfoot	Bottom 2
Top 5	Summertime Hits	"I Don't Want to Miss a Thing"	Aerosmith	Safe
Top 4	Standards	"Straighten Up And Fly Right" "Unforgettable"	Nat King Cole
Top 3	Judges' Choice	"If You Don't Know Me by Now" "I Want You to Want Me"	Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes Cheap Trick	Eliminated