Judge's decisions in Hockey Canada sexual assault trial are Thursday. Here's what could happen

WARNING: This article references sexual assault and may affect those who have experienced​ ​​​sexual violence or know someone impacted by it.

On Thursday, Justice Maria Carroccia will deliver her decisions in the world junior hockey sexual assault trial — a case that dates back to 2018 and has manoeuvred numerous curves as it played out over eight weeks in a London, Ont., court.

Five former players are charged with sexually assaulting a woman, known as E.M. due to a standard publication ban, in a hotel room in June 2018 while the team was in the southwestern Ontario city to celebrate their world championship win months earlier.

Cal Foote, Dillon Dubé, Alex Formenton, Carter Hart and Michael McLeod have all pleaded not guilty. McLeod faces an additional charge of being party to an offence for his alleged role in facilitating the assaults.

The sexual assault charges carry a maximum sentence of 10 years.

The trial, which began in Superior Court in early April and wrapped with closing arguments in mid-June, was roiled by procedural drama.

A mistrial was declared within the first week, and a new jury had to be selected after a defence lawyer and a juror had a brief interaction over the lunch hour. A second jury was discharged after a juror sent a note accusing one of the defence teams of making fun of the jury. Carroccia and the lawyers then opted to move forward with a judge-alone trial.

There were numerous arguments and trials within the trial about evidence, witnesses testifying to not remembering certain things under questioning, a long and tense cross-examination of E.M., as well as protests outside the court by people supporting E.M., and others backing the players.

At the outset, the Crown emphasized that what is