Warning: coverage of the Hockey Canada trial includes details of alleged sexual assault that may be disturbing to readers.

Carter Hart discussed his drinking the night of June 18, 2018, and said the complainant in the world junior sexual assault trial seemed to be “enjoying” herself as he took the witness stand Thursday.

After Crown attorney Meaghan Cunningham confirmed the Crown wouldn’t be calling any more witnesses, it is the defense’s turn to provide evidence.

Michael McLeod, Carter Hart, Alex Formenton, Dillon Dube and Cal Foote each face a charge of sexual assault, while McLeod also faces a charge of party to the offense. The former members of Canada’s 2018 world junior team pleaded not guilty to the charges.

McLeod’s lawyer, David Humphrey, said that since his client’s interview with police in 2018 was already in the court’s record, McLeod would not be “leading evidence.” 

With that, Megan Savard, Hart’s lawyer, announced her client would provide his testimony.

While on the stand, Hart was asked about what happened inside Room 209 of the Delta Armouries hotel in the early morning of June 19, 2018, when the complainant, whose identity is protected by a publication ban but is referred to as E.M. in court documents, alleges the accused men sexually assaulted her in London, Ont.

Hart said one of his early memories of E.M. in the room was “when she was on the ground on the bed sheet, masturbating,” adding she was fully naked at the time.

“She seemed to be enjoying it,” Hart said. “She seemed to be enjoying that players were watching her doing that.”

Hart also said E.M. was asking for “guys to f--- her,” so he asked her if she would give him a “blowie” (oral sex). Hart said he didn’t touch her during the sexual act, but that after a short time, he began to be uncomfortable having everyone else around, so the oral sex ended. Hart said that afterward, E.M. continued to egg the men on.

“I was shocked, I could not believe some of the things she was saying,” Hart said.

Savard then asked Hart if he recalled another accused player, Cal Foote, doing the splits over top of E.M. Hart said he did remember Foote’s actions and explained what initially led to it.

“I remember guys kind of telling him to do the splits, like 'Footer, do the splits,’ ” Hart said.

Upon further questioning, Hart said he remembered Foote wearing a shirt and shorts when he did the splits, and that he doesn’t remember seeing Foote making any actual contact with E.M. Additionally, Hart said that everyone found it funny, including the complainant.

“I looked and saw, E.M. was laughing as well,” Hart said.

Foote is accused of grazing his genitals over E.M.’s face when he did the splits. Earlier in the trial, E.M. said the splits felt “gross” and “degrading.” She also said it was not funny to her and the others were all laughing. She was also asked if she remembered asking the players if they were going to “f--- her or play golf,” referring to golf clubs in the room, and she said she didn’t remember saying that, nor did it sound like something she would say.

Before being asked about the events in the room, Hart was questioned about his time at Jack’s Bar, where team members had gone following the Hockey Canada gala in London, Ont. 

Hart said he was “pretty buzzed” already when the team arrived at Jack’s, also saying he rarely drank alcohol at that point in his life.

“Prior to this weekend, I had only drank three times in my life, so this was an unusual amount for me,” Hart explained.

Savard then presented Hart with a previously presented team group chat text from early in the morning of June 19, 2018, where McLeod asks if anyone wants to be in a “3 way quick,” to which Hart replied, “I’m in.” 

Hart said he wasn’t in a relationship at the time and was open to sexual encounters.

“I was open to sexual encounters,” Hart said. “I was a single guy, I was open to it.”

In her final line of questioning, Savard asked Hart about when Hockey Canada reached an out-of-court settlement with E.M. in 2022. Hart said he was playing tennis with a friend when he got a call from his agent that a settlement had been reached on the players’ behalf. But Hart said he didn’t even know there was a lawsuit to begin with, saying he had “no idea.”

Finally, Foote’s lawyer, Julianna Greenspan, asked Hart to clarify some things about Foote’s splits. Hart agreed he believed the act was non-sexual and that he remembers Foote being fully clothed at the time. He also agreed that, similar to Vegas Golden Knights center Brett Howden, he received a phone call from Foote a few days after first hearing about the allegations. Hart said he couldn’t hear anything Foote said because the service was bad.

Hart is expected to return to the witness stand Friday morning, when the Crown will have their turn to cross-examine the witness.