Nicolas Dagile and Massimo Siciliano with their defence lawyer
Two former junior hockey players from Quebec have been sentenced to prison for sexually assaulting a minor at a hotel in June 2021, following a celebration for the Victoriaville Tigres' championship win.
Nicolas Daigle, 21, received a 32-month jail term, while Massimo Siciliano, 21, was sentenced to 30 months in Quebec City. They pleaded guilty in October to assaulting a 17-year-old girl and Daigle also admitted to filming the act. This plea came just before their scheduled trial.
During the incident, the pair were part of the Victoriaville team in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League, celebrating their championship victory. The victim, whose identity is protected, worked at the hotel where the team stayed during the playoffs. She had befriended Daigle during their month-long stay but initially declined to join the team's celebration and later Daigle's invitation to his room. However, she eventually returned to the hotel that night at his insistence.
Upon entering Daigle's room, she found Siciliano there, whom she didn't know. Feeling trapped, she was assaulted by both men for approximately 40 minutes, with Daigle filming the assault without her knowledge. When Daigle briefly left the room, Siciliano continued the assault, and Daigle later showed the video to teammates and a coach at the ongoing party downstairs. A team employee intervened and had Daigle delete the video, but the victim only learned of its existence the next day.
During sentencing, Judge Thomas Jacques considered the victim's impact statement, where she described feeling entrapped and the profound impact the assault had on her life. Daigle and Siciliano admitted they were intoxicated and did not properly seek consent from the victim. They expressed remorse during their testimony, acknowledging the negative impact on the victim and their own futures, including their hockey careers.
Prosecutor Michel Berube, satisfied with the outcome, emphasized the courage of the victim in coming forward and filing a complaint. He underscored the importance of the sentence in sending a strong message to sports associations and leagues about the consequences of such actions.
The Crown had pushed for prison sentences, whereas the defense sought community-based alternatives. After the judge handed down their sentences, Daigle and Siciliano were taken into custody.
