Jarryd Hayne ‘wiped his hands in blood’ after allegedly sexually assaulting a woman in his home, court listens, as he stands trial
- Jarryd Hayne denies sexually assaulting a woman in 2018
- He is on trial at Sydney’s Downing Center court.
Former NRL star Jarryd Hayne is alleged to have performed oral sex and digitally penetrated a woman who said ‘no and stop’, leaving her bleeding as a taxi waited for him outside, a court was told.
The former soccer legend, 35, arrived at Sydney District Court flanked by his wife Amelia Bonnici on Monday morning as his sexual assault trial began.
Hayne has denied sexually assaulting the woman at her home in Fletcher, on the outskirts of Newcastle, in September 2018, the night of the NRL grand final.
He has persistently maintained his innocence, alleging that he engaged in consensual sexual acts and has pleaded not guilty to two counts of aggravated sexual intercourse without consent.
A total of 14 jurors were selected from a pool of about 50 people, who were warned by Judge Graham Turnbull about the extensive media coverage of the matter before Monday.
Former soccer star Jarryd Hayne faces Sydney’s Downing Downtown District Court on Monday, flanked by his lawyer, Margaret Cunneen SC
The jury panel was told that Mr Hayne had gained notoriety for his sporting achievements, but the jury is not to address the matter if they “have jumped to conclusions”.
“Familiarity with a sport can incline one to unfounded but knee-jerk conclusions,” Judge Turnbull told the jury panel.
The jury must concentrate on the evidence, the evidence in this trial alone.
In his summing up for the jury panel, Crown prosecutor John Sfinas told the court that Mr Hayne allegedly performed “cunnilingus and digital penetration” on the woman’s vagina without her consent, causing bleeding.
“You will hear that the complainant and the defendant never met,” Sfinas told the court.
Mr. Sfinas told the jury panel that the contact was instigated by the alleged victim on Instagram and messages were sent for two weeks on Instagram and Snapchat.
The court was told that Mr Hayne was in Newcastle on the weekend of 29 and 30 September to attend a dollar weekend, while the couple were trying to arrange a meeting.
“You will hear that the defendant arrived at the complainant’s house in a taxi that was made to wait for him,” Sfinas said.
“The complainant did not know that this taxi was waiting until she heard a beep.”
Sfinas told jurors that the woman, whose name cannot be identified for legal reasons, told Hayne “no” and “stop” when the sexual act began.
She said the cunnilingus and digital penetration lasted around 30 seconds before it stopped when she was bleeding.
“I anticipate that you will hear that he left the facility after cleaning the blood from his hands and mouth,” Sfinas said.
Sfinas is expected to give a detailed opening to the jury later on Monday.
The trial continues before Judge Graham Turnbull.
