Defence lawyers begin final submissions in hockey players' sex assault trial

Defence lawyers representing five former members of Canada's world junior hockey team have begun their final submissions to the judge overseeing the players' sexual assault trial.

Prosecutors will follow later this week with their submissions to Ontario Superior Court Justice Maria Carroccia, who will then set a date to deliver her ruling.

Michael McLeod, Dillon Dube, Alex Formenton, Carter Hart and Callan Foote have pleaded not guilty to sexual assault.

McLeod has also pleaded not guilty to an additional charge of being a party to the offence of sexual assault.

Court has heard the complainant, who was 20 at the time, met some of the players at a downtown bar in June 2018 and went with McLeod to his hotel room to have sex.

That encounter is not part of the trial, which instead focuses on what happened after several other players came into the room.

The trial began in late April and has heard from nine witnesses, including the complainant and one of the accused.