Jarryd Hayne, former NRL player, has pleaded not guilty to two charges of sexual intercourse without consent relating to an alleged sexual assault in 2018.
The trial is taking place in the NSW District Court. The Crown prosecutor alleges that Hayne digitally penetrated and performed cunnilingus on the woman’s vagina without her consent, causing her to bleed.
The alleged victim said “no” and “stop” when Hayne tried to kiss her. After the alleged sexual assault, Hayne washed his hands and the blood off his lip before leaving.
According to the prosecutor, the woman and Hayne had communicated on social media before the night of the alleged assault.
Hayne arranged a taxi to Sydney, stopping at the woman’s home, where he lay down on the bed and sang along to Ed Sheeran’s version of Oasis’ Wonderwall.
The complainant did not know about the taxi until she heard it beeping, which “shifted things in her mind.” The Crown alleges the possibility of consensual sex disappeared due to the presence of the waiting taxi and the awkwardness of Hayne singing along to songs.
In defence, Hayne’s barrister, Margaret Cunneen, SC, disputed that the sexual activity was not entirely consensual and that no sexual assault occurred.
She said the digital and oral sex had been by agreement and was “over the instant Mr Hayne noticed the blood”. The complainant’s recorded evidence will be played to the jury in closed court.
Fourteen jurors, to be reduced to 12 for verdict deliberations, were selected from a panel of about 50 people who were told there had been extensive prior media coverage of proceedings. The retrial is expected to run for seven to 10 days.
»Jarryd Hayne Pleads Not Guilty in Sexual Assault Trial«
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