Former NRL player Jarryd Hayne guilty of sexual assault after third trial

A jury has found former NRL star Jarryd Hayne guilty of sexually assaulting a woman in her bedroom more than four years ago, after a third trial over the allegations.

Hayne, 35, faced a two-week trial in the NSW District Court, where he pleaded not guilty to two counts of sexual intercourse without consent.

The charges related to his meeting with a woman at her home on the outskirts of Newcastle on the night of the 2018 NRL grand final.

After deliberating for more than a week, the jury today found Hayne guilty of both counts.

He shook his head in the Sydney courtroom as he learned the result on each charge.

The jury was told the woman contacted Hayne via Instagram a little less than two weeks before their first in-person meeting, and their messages progressed to a "sexualised" nature.

Hayne was in Newcastle for a buck's party on the final weekend of September and they arranged to meet.

Crown Prosecutor John Sfinas told the court he arrived at the woman's home, having negotiated a $550 taxi fare back to Sydney, and told the driver to wait outside.

Jurors were told a "defining moment" for the woman was when she realised the taxi was still outside, which "shifted things in her mind", along with "awkwardness" she felt between the pair.

This caused the possibility of sexual activity between them to "evaporate" for her, Mr Sfinas said.

'Didn't mean to cause her harm'

The court heard Hayne tried to kiss the woman, at one point grabbing her by the face, with "forceful" actions despite her telling him to stop.

The jurors were told Mr Hayne's charges were in relation to two forms of sexual activity — oral and digital penetration — and the complainant had said "no" and "stop".

It allegedly lasted for about 30 seconds, and stopped when the complainant's genitals started to bleed.

Hayne's barrister, Margaret Cunneen SC, said the activity was "entirely consensual", and he "didn't mean to cause her any harm at all".

The jury heard the woman sent Hayne a Snapchat message after he left, saying she knew she had talked about sex but "didn't want to do that" and was "hurting so much".

He advised her in a reply to go to the doctor the following morning.

The woman's recorded evidence from a previous trial was played to the jury panel in a closed court.

The jury also heard that during later messages between the two, which were recorded by police, the woman put to Hayne that she had said no.

"That's completely untrue!," he replied.

"Everything we did you consented to."

Speaking to the media outside court, Hayne reiterated his innocence, saying he's "pretty confident" the decision will be appealed.

"Devastated, devastated mate. I'm gonna keep standing for the truth," he said.

"[I'm] 100 per cent [innocent[. I never lied to police, I never deleted evidence, I never hid witnesses."

When asked if he had any remorse he replied: "For telling the truth? Did I lie?".

He said he plans to spend the next few precious days with his "close ones".

Hayne's first trial ended in a hung jury and he was convicted at the second.

He was previously handed a prison sentence of five years and nine months and sent to Cooma Correctional Centre, however, he immediately appealed.

The NSW Court of Criminal Appeal later upheld some of the grounds for appeal, quashed Hayne's convictions and ordered a retrial.

Story By:Jamie McKinnell

Original Story link: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-04-04/ex-nrl-player-jarryd-hayne-found-guilty-of-sexual-assault/102179910?fbclid=IwAR0uOK13bRkhIgEZTWsIYtZDBTEbvzI4-ttpyljRSRcinvQo0hqpRHxAILY