CONTENT WARNING: The following article contains explicit details of sexual assaults that may be distressing to individuals with personal experiences related to sexual violence.
A man from Hamilton has entered a guilty plea for drugging and sexually assaulting two additional women, with the disturbing element of recording and sharing his criminal acts online.
Bryan Hayward, aged 37, had previously pleaded guilty in June to charges involving seven other women. Originally, he was scheduled to face trial on the recent accusations, which Crown lawyer Kelli Frew anticipated could span 17 days. However, Hayward’s guilty plea in the Ontario Court of Justice on September 4 negated the need for a trial, as confirmed by Frew.
Justice Michael Wendl is yet to deliver Hayward’s sentencing. The Crown has requested his designation as a dangerous offender, potentially leading to indefinite incarceration, pending a separate hearing to determine this status.
Back in May 2025, Hamilton police arrested and charged Hayward following a W5 investigation into a network of men involved in clandestinely drugging and videotaping their partners.
In the recent court hearing on September 4, Frew disclosed details from a revised statement of facts regarding Hayward’s assault of two women.
The first victim engaged with Hayward online in 2022 and was in a relationship with him until his arrest. She later discovered Hayward sharing videos of unconscious women in a group chat, claiming a sexual interest in sleeping or unconscious individuals.
Agreeing to unconscious sex with Hayward, the victim was shocked to find out he had injected her with an unauthorized substance after viewing a recorded video. Hayward confessed to recording 11 videos of her without consent, some of which were recovered by the police.
In a distressing incident, the woman, after being drugged by Hayward, was involved in a car accident with her children, as she had lost consciousness and vomited while driving.
The second victim reconnected with Hayward in 2023, consuming drugs with him, thinking it was a stimulant. She was horrified to discover that she had been drugged with a central nervous system depressant, causing her to miss picking up her daughter the next day.
Upon finding herself bound and unconscious in images recovered by investigators, the woman’s family reported her missing, leading the police to Hayward’s residence where she was found safe but traumatized.
In a subsequent search at Hayward’s mother’s house in May 2025, police discovered various drugs, including chloroform, methamphetamine, ketamine, and benzodiazepines, along with vials and syringes.
Hayward faces additional charges in Alberta, where he was accused of sexual assault in a case dating back to 2015, scheduled for trial in November.
Hayward is expected in court in Hamilton on October 6 for an update on scheduling his dangerous offender hearing. Another individual, Gilles Richard, was also charged in connection with Hayward’s activities and is set for a court appearance on September 22.
If you’re in immediate danger or concerned about safety, please call 911. For support, access crisis lines and local services through the Ending Sexual Violence Association of Canada database.
If you or someone you know needs help with substance use, refer to resources from the Government of Canada or contact Kids Help Phone at 1-800-668-6868.
