A Nova Scotia Supreme Court justice has imposed a two-year prison term on a former university football player convicted of sexually assaulting two women, explicitly citing the offender's race and cultural background as factors in the reduced sentence.
The Assaults and the Sentence
Justice Frank Hoskins delivered the decision on Wednesday, December 22, 2025, sentencing Omogbolahan "Teddy" Jegede, 25, to two years of incarceration followed by three years of probation. The Crown had sought a sentence of up to three years, while the defence argued for a conditional sentence served in the community.
Jegede was convicted by a jury earlier this year for attacks that occurred in 2022 and 2023 within residences at St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, Nova Scotia. The court heard that one woman was choked to the point of near-unconsciousness, while another was forced to perform oral sex. Both victims testified to being physically dominated by Jegede, who is significantly larger.
Role of Race and Culture Assessment
In his reasoning, Justice Hoskins pointed directly to an Impact of Race and Culture Assessment (IRCA) as pivotal to the sentencing outcome. "It should be noted that but, for the contents of the Impact of Race and Culture Assessment (IRCA), the pre-sentence report and all the mitigating factors... this sentence would have been much higher," Hoskins stated.
The IRCA, a type of report funded under a federal initiative, outlined that Jegede, a Black man who immigrated from Nigeria as a child, was under intense pressure and lacked culturally appropriate support around the time of the assaults. The report's author noted Jegede struggled with isolation and a decline in mental health while living in the predominantly white university town.
Background and Mitigating Factors
Justice Hoskins acknowledged the severity of the crimes, stating, "In my view, this is a case where the need for denunciation is so pressing that incarceration is the only civil way in which to express society’s condemnation of Mr. Jegede’s conduct." However, he balanced this with multiple mitigating factors.
The court heard that Jegede came from a stable, church-going family with professional parents. He was a high-achieving student and athlete before his studies in kinetics at St. FX were interrupted. His mother described the family's adjustment after moving from Lagos, Nigeria, to Brampton, Ontario, and later Fort McMurray, Alberta, noting Jegede experienced bullying in elementary school due to his accent and race.
The judge set the probation term at three years but indicated it could be shortened if Jegede makes significant progress in counselling. Jegede has expressed a desire to complete his degree and pursue a master's program.
