Former Quebec junior hockey player Noah Corson found guilty of sexual assault

Former junior hockey player Noah Corson has been found guilty of sexual assault. The verdict was handed down Friday morning at the Drummondville courthouse following Corson's trial, which took place in November.

The victim's identity is subject to a publication ban. She was 15 at the time of the assault in 2016.

The Crown and the defence had agreed that Corson had taken part in a group sexual activity involving two other hockey players at the complainant's residence. However, the debate in court centred on whether or not the victim had consented to the activity, and if Corson had verified her age.

While Corson assured the court that he was convinced the victim was at least 18, the Crown argued that he proved to be "reckless" or "wilfully blind."

In his verdict, Judge Paul Dunnigan said that the accused had not taken all the reasonable steps he should have taken to ascertain the complainant's age. In the circumstances, the judge did not need to rule on the issue of consent.

Under the criminal code, someone under 16 can't consent to group sex.

Unwanted group sex is considered aggravated assault under section 272 d) of the criminal code and it is not a defence that the complainant consented to the activity.

"You can tell to the court that you made an error regarding the age of the victim, but to do so you must take all the reasonable steps. To check out the age of the victim," said the prosecutor, Marc-André Roy.

"The justice didn't agree with the fact that he took all reasonable steps ...  [Corson] didn't ask any questions."

Roy says this ruling may be the first of its kind when it comes to hockey players. He hopes it's a "lesson for all the young boys."

"I'm thinking about the the victim. I'm thinking about the courage