Hedley frontman’s case on sex offences put over to August

TORONTO — The case of rock star Jacob Hoggard, who faces three sex-related charges, was put over to next month after a brief court hearing in Toronto on Thursday.

Hoggard, the frontman of the band Hedley, was arrested in Toronto on Monday and charged with one count of sexual interference and two counts of sexual assault causing bodily harm.

Toronto police have said the charges relate to three separate incidents involving a woman and a girl that allegedly occurred in 2016. The 34-year-old musician did not appear in court in person but was represented by his lawyer, Ian Smith, who declined to comment on the details of the case.

“I know that there is a not insignificant level of public interest to this matter and, in particular, Mr. Hoggard’s position with respect to the allegations that have been made against him,” Smith said outside the court. “That position will all become clear in due course and as appropriate in court, as the matter unfolds.”

Hoggard, who is from Vancouver, has previously denied ever engaging in nonconsensual sexual behaviour, but has said he behaved in a way that objectifies women. A handful of Hoggard’s fans sat through Thursday’s court hearing despite the singer’s absence.

“He saved my life ... with his music,” one young woman said as she left the courthouse.

The case is scheduled to return to court on Aug. 15.

Hedley played its last show before an “indefinite hiatus” in Kelowna, B.C., on March 24. The two-time Juno winning band had been dropped by its management team, blacklisted by scores of radio stations and abandoned by musicians booked as tour openers.

Hedley withdrew itself from consideration for the Juno Awards earlier this year in Vancouver and backed out of performing on the telecast.