Jarryd Hayne claims sex with woman he was jailed for raping was consensual

Jarryd Hayne claims sex with woman he was jailed for raping was consensual
Jarryd Hayne claims sex with woman he was jailed for raping was consensual

Disgraced NRL player Jarryd Hayne still insists a sexual encounter which left a woman physically injured and him in jail was consensual. 

Hayne is seeking to have two sexual assault convictions overturned in a last-ditch attempt to avoid spending the next three years in prison.  

The State of Origin star continues to protest his innocence after he was jailed for a maximum five years and nine months for raping a young woman in Newcastle in September 2018.

Hayne appeared by audio-visual link on Monday at the Court of Criminal Appeal in Sydney in an attempt to overturn the conviction.

The 33-year-old was dressed in a dark suit and tie as he watched the proceedings from a room at Cooma Correctional Centre where he is serving his sentence. 

Disgraced NRL star Jarryd Hayne (pictured with wife Amellia Bonnici) has launched an appeal against his two sexual assault convictions. The appeal is being heard in the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal in Sydney

Disgraced NRL star Jarryd Hayne (pictured with wife Amellia Bonnici) has launched an appeal against his two sexual assault convictions. The appeal is being heard in the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal in Sydney 

Hayne appeared by audio-visual link at the Court of Criminal Appeal in Sydney in an attempt to overturn his convictions. The 33-year-old was dressed in a dark suit and tie as he watched the proceedings from a room at Cooma Correctional Centre where he is serving his sentence

Hayne appeared by audio-visual link at the Court of Criminal Appeal in Sydney in an attempt to overturn his convictions. The 33-year-old was dressed in a dark suit and tie as he watched the proceedings from a room at Cooma Correctional Centre where he is serving his sentence

Hayne has enlisted the help of NSW Bar Association president Tim Game SC, who is regarded as one of the best appeals lawyers in Australia and charges up to $14,000 a day.

Mr Game submitted the judge who heard Hayne's trial gave flawed directions to the jury about the issue of consent. 

'These directions are flawed in almost every possible way,' Mr Game told the court.

The Crown had contended the woman made it clear she was not consenting by saying, 'No, no, no', while Hayne insisted he believed the sex was consensual.

What the woman did and said, what Hayne believed or should reasonably have believed, and what can be proven are all being reviewed by the Court of Criminal Appeal. 

The meaning and significance of a number of exchanges between the woman and Hayne and the woman and several friends will also be considered.

If Hayne's appeal is successful he could face a third trial or be acquitted. 

Hayne has already served six months of his minimum sentence of three years and eight months after being convicted of two counts of sexual intercourse without consent

Hayne has already served six months of his minimum sentence of three years and eight months after being convicted of two counts of sexual intercourse without consent

Hayne has already served six months of his minimum sentence of three years and eight months after being convicted of two counts of sexual intercourse without consent.

He was found not guilty of the more serious charges of aggravated sexual intercourse without consent, inflicting actual bodily harm. 

The retired footballer, who once earned up to $1.2million a season and had a failed stint playing in the NFL, has always maintained his innocence. 

'I'd rather go to jail knowing I spoke the truth rather than be a free man living a lie,' Hayne said outside court following a jury's guilty verdicts. 

His appeal is being held before a three-person panel of Supreme Court judges and is not expected to run beyond Monday.

Hayne spends 17 hours a day inside his prison cell at Cooma Correctional Centre, a medium and minimum security facility 400km south-west of Sydney.

Jarryd Hayne has enlisted the help of NSW Bar Association president Tim Game SC (pictured) in his latest appeal to be heard by the Court of Criminal Appeal

Jarryd Hayne has enlisted the help of NSW Bar Association president Tim Game SC (pictured) in his latest appeal to be heard by the Court of Criminal Appeal

The disgraced footy star (pictured with his wife Amellia Bonnici) has already spent six months behind bars

The disgraced footy star (pictured with his wife Amellia Bonnici) has already spent six months behind bars

In March a Sydney jury found beyond reasonable doubt Hayne had sexually assaulted the 26-year-old woman in her bedroom on the night of the 2018 NRL Grand Final.

In the days leading up to the assaults Hayne and the woman had communicated over Instagram, Snapchat and texts. 'You are absolutely gorgeous,' she told him in one exchange.

The woman claimed when the pair met in person she and Hayne had kissed but she withdrew consent to sex. 

She allegedly suffered injuries during a sexual encounter and required medical treatment.

In text to a loved one after the incident, the victim described how she stopped wanting to have sex with Hayne after learning he had a taxi waiting outside to take him back to Sydney.

The woman sent Hayne a long text message after their encounter claiming he had been 'really pushy' and 'rough'. Hayne responded: 'That's completely untrue! Everything we did you consented to'

The woman sent Hayne a long text message after their encounter claiming he had been 'really pushy' and 'rough'. Hayne responded: 'That's completely untrue! Everything we did you consented to'

Hayne spends 17 hours a day inside his prison cell at Cooma Correctional Centre, a medium and minimum security facility 400km south-west of Sydney

Hayne spends 17 hours a day inside his prison cell at Cooma Correctional Centre, a medium and minimum security facility 400km south-west of Sydney

She recounted she 'kept saying no' to the 'pushy' athlete and revealed she suffered injuries to her genitalia.

Further messages showed the woman confronting Hayne, saying: 'I know I've talked about sex and stuff so much, but I didn't want to do that after knowing the taxi was waiting for you'.

'I thought you would have at least stayed? I m hurting really badly. I told my Mum you got a nose bleed, but I'm sitting here in my room crying 'cause I feel weird.'

Hayne replied: 'Go doctor tomorrow'.

Later, Snapchat messages between the pair featured Hayne insisting that what had happened between the pair was consensual. 

That proposition was rejected by a jury of

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