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

On Monday, Quebec court Judge Thomas Jacques sentenced Nicolas Daigle to 32 months in jail and Massimo Siciliano to 30 months.

A lawyer for Siciliano, 21, filed a motion to have his client instead be given a suspended sentence and bail while he awaits a decision.

A lawyer for Daigle, 21, says he filed a similar appeal on behalf of his client.

Both appeals are scheduled to be heard before the high court on Thursday in the provincial capital.

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, 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.

Two former Quebec junior hockey players who were convicted of sexual assault are planning to appeal their sentences. The two men, who cannot be named due to a publication ban, were found guilty of sexually assaulting a 17-year-old girl in a hotel room in 2016.

The incident took place while the two men were playing for the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League team. The victim reported the assault to police, leading to a trial where the men were convicted and sentenced to prison terms.

The men’s lawyers have filed appeals on their behalf, arguing that the sentences handed down were too harsh given the circumstances of the case. They claim that the men have shown remorse for their actions and have taken steps to rehabilitate themselves since the incident.

The case has sparked debate in Quebec about the treatment of sexual assault cases involving athletes, with some arguing that athletes should not receive special treatment when it comes to sentencing. Others have pointed out that athletes often face intense pressure and scrutiny, which can contribute to poor decision-making.

The appeal process is expected to take several months, during which time the men will remain in prison. It remains to be seen whether the appeals will be successful and what impact this case will have on future cases involving athletes and sexual assault.