Former Quebec junior hockey players released as they appeal sentences for sex assault

Former Victoriaville Tigres junior major hockey league players Nicolas Daigle, left, and Massimo Siciliano, right, follow defence lawyers as they leave the courtroom after pleading guilty on Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2023, in Quebec City. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jacques Boissinot

Two former Quebec junior hockey players have been released as they appeal their prison sentences for sexually assaulting a minor at a hotel in June 2021 during a celebration of a Victoriaville Tigres championship win.

Court of Appeal Justice Genevieve Cotnam today granted Nicolas Daigle and Massimo Siciliano permission to appeal their sentences, which were for 32 and 30 months, respectively.

The ex-players were each ordered to put up $2,000 bail and were released on various conditions pending their appeal hearing on Nov. 20.

Lawyers for the two 21-year-olds argued that the sentences delivered on Monday are too severe, and had asked instead for their clients to serve sentences in the community.

At the time of the assault both men were members of the Victoriaville team in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League, and the club was celebrating on June 5, 2021, after winning the championship trophy.

The victim said she was assaulted by the players that night in a Quebec City-area hotel, and that Daigle also filmed her without her knowledge.

The victim, whose identity is protected by a publication ban, was an employee at the Quebec City-area hotel where the team was staying during the 2021 playoffs. She had befriended Daigle while he and his teammates were living at the hotel for about a month leading up to their victory.

She had initially declined an invitation from team members to join their party. Citing hotel policy, she had also initially said no to Daigle's request to join him in his room. But later that night, after she left work, Daigle messaged her again and convinced her to return to the hotel.

The victim agreed to visit the room only with Daigle, but when she arrived she discovered Siciliano, whom she did not know, was also there. She said she felt trapped before she was assaulted by both of them, at times simultaneously, for about 40 minutes.

During that time, Daigle filmed the woman without her knowledge.

Both men pleaded guilty in October ahead of a trial.

- This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 11, 2024.