A judge in Thunder Bay has found two former University of Ottawa hockey players not guilty of sexual assault in a 2014 incident.
Guillaume Donovan and David Foucher had each been charged with one count of sexual assault after a woman accused them of forcing themselves upon her in a hotel room following a Gee-Gees away game.
Justice Chantal Brochu said Donovan and Foucher were by no means gentleman the night of the incident, and said there was a high level of intoxication, but she has no reason to question their testimony.
The allegations led the University of Ottawa to fire head coach Real Paiement and suspend the men's hockey program for two seasons for an internal investigation.
The hockey team was suspended in March, 2014 and remained suspended until 2016, prompting a class-action lawsuit by players.
Lawyer Lawrence Greenspon said the class action continues.
“The university was taking steps to suspend all the players for the alleged actions of a few and by doing that, tarring them all by the same brush,” Greenspon said.
The University of Ottawa have released a statement saying "The University of Ottawa will not comment on the decision rendered today by the Ontario Court of Justice in the sexual assault trial of two former Gee-Gees hockey players. As we have stated previously, the University’s 2014 decision to suspend the men’s hockey program was based on the serious nature of allegations against team members and following the results of an independent investigation into the events in Thunder Bay that illustrated widespread misconduct unbecoming of University representatives. Today’s court ruling has no impact on that decision."
With files from CTV Ottawa's Terry Marcotte.