Parole Board Denies Full Parole for Jacob Hoggard

The Parole Board of Canada has denied a request for full parole from former Hedley frontman Jacob Hoggard, ruling that he still requires professional supervision as he transitions back into the community.

Instead, the board granted Hoggard an additional six months of day parole, allowing him to continue living in a halfway house while gradually testing the progress he has made during his incarceration.

In a decision released this week, the two-member panel concluded that a more cautious approach was necessary before considering full parole.

RELATED: Jacob Hoggard Now Faces Three Sexual Assault Charges

The board also imposed several strict conditions on Hoggard's release.

Among them, he must report all relationships with women and girls to his parole officer and is prohibited from being in the presence of sex workers.

Some conditions went beyond those recommended by Correctional Service Canada.

One condition states that Hoggard cannot be around girls under the age of 18 unless a responsible adult, who is aware of his criminal history and approved by his parole officer, is present.

Another requires him to allow monitoring of his text messages, social media accounts, messaging platforms and other digital communications by his parole officer.

Hoggard, 41, is serving a five-year prison sentence after being convicted in 2022 of sexual assault causing bodily harm involving an Ottawa woman at a Toronto hotel.

He was acquitted of separate charges involving another complainant during the same trial.

Allegations against Hoggard first became public in 2018, leading to criminal charges later that year. Shortly afterward, Hedley went on an indefinite hiatus. Hoggard has since said the band has disbanded permanently.

The parole board's decision does not affect Hoggard's sentence but determines the conditions under which he may serve part of that sentence in the community.