A Nova Scotia judge has confirmed a trial will start in February for two minor hockey players accused of sexually assaulting teammates during a hazing ritual last fall.
Neither of the accused appeared Monday in provincial youth court in Truro, N.S., when the judge scheduled eight days for the trial in February, March and April.
None of the allegations has been tested in court, and the identities of the accused and the complainants are protected from publication under the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
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Court documents show the two accused – both 14 at the time of the alleged offences – have each been charged with two counts of sexual assault and one count of sexual assault with a weapon, which police have described as a mini hockey stick.
The charges stem from alleged assaults on three victims on Oct. 3, somewhere in Colchester County, the municipality northeast of the Halifax region.
As well, one of the accused is facing a separate assault charge that stems from an alleged assault on one of the three victims between Oct. 1, 2025, and Dec. 30, 2025, in the Truro, N.S., area.
On Feb. 5, the organization that governs hockey in the province said that on Jan. 30, a minor hockey player came forward with allegations that were forwarded to police. The RCMP later said the youth reported being assaulted during a private team gathering in October.
When the allegations were made public, Hockey Nova Scotia confirmed that a youth team in the Truro area had been suspended.
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The Mounties have said they collected statements from multiple witnesses, which led to new allegations indicating other offences had occurred at different locations.
Four youths were arrested in early February, but charges were laid against only two of them before the end of that month.
Both of the accused, now 15 years old, were released from custody and are subject to court orders prohibiting them from contacting three people. The two are also prohibited from entering public dressing rooms unless they are with an adult.
They pleaded not guilty to the charges in May.
Their joint trial starts on Feb. 22 and is slated to continue on Feb. 25, March 1, 2, 4, 22 and 23, and April 1.