Jarryd Hayne’s victim praised for ‘courage’

The legal team for Jarryd Hayne’s American sexual assault accuser has praised his Australian victim after a jury found him guilty of sexual assault.

The legal team for Jarryd Hayne’s American sexual assault accuser praised the “courage” of his Australian victim after a jury found him guilty of sexual assault.

High profile lawyer John Clune helped secure an almost $100,000 settlement on behalf of the young woman known as JV for an assault that she said happened when Hayne was playing with the NFL.

San Jose police investigated the 2015 incident but didn’t bring charges after the Santa Clara district attorney said there was insufficient evidence.

Former Parramatta Eels star Jarryd Hayne.

The young woman, who was a virgin and heavily intoxicated during the alleged assault, later brought a civil suit against Hayne.

She said she was raped by Hayne at his apartment, where she had gone after a drinking session following a San Francisco 49ers game.

Hayne denied the assault and fought the charges from Australia for more than a year before settling with the young woman in August 2019.

“We applaud the jury’s verdict and are inspired by the victim’s courage to persevere through two separate trials,” said Mr Clune.

Jarryd Hayne, pictured in 2016, during his NFL career with San Francisco 49ers. Picture: AP Photo/Tony Avelar

Jarryd Hayne leaving Sydney’s Downing Centre. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Christian Gilles

Mr Clune previously represented the young women who accused basketball legend Kobe Bryant of raping her in 2004, as well as successfully bringing several other prominent sports stars to justice.

“Our client knows very well how difficult it is to bring allegations against athletes to the police.

“The fact that these events occurred while Mr. Hayne was being sued for sexual battery in the US is disturbing.”

‘IT’S DAY TO DAY’: VICTIM

The young woman has not been identified or spoken publicly about her encounter with Hayne.

A local restaurant worker who was religious, she had struggled emotionally after the alleged assault, according to her attorney Micha Starr Liberty.

“She’s doing ok,” Ms Liberty said in June 2018.

“It’s day to day. She processes her experiences and she is doing her best to maintain her therapeutic regimen and just cope.”

Ms Liberty said that her client had been afraid to come forward with her assault claims for several months but that she had eventually sought medical treatment for continuing vaginal pain.

Jarryd Hayne’s victim revealed details about her life since the assault via her lawyer. Picture: AP Photo/Tony Avelar

An emergency room doctor concluded that she had been sexually assaulted and contacted San Jose police but the young woman did not wish to make a formal complaint.

Hayne had “unequivocally” and “vehemently” denied the allegation after the woman launched her civil suit in December 2017 against the then-32 year old father-of-one.

According to court papers lodged during the civil suit, JV was acquainted with one of Hayne’s friends and she was among a group of young women who joined the players at a local dive bar.

She told police she had “minimal interaction” with the 49ers player at Willow Den bar that night and court papers quoted her friends saying they “had never seen (JV) so intoxicated”.

In her affidavit she said she dimly recalled being inside the lift at Hayne’s apartment before being on the bed and hearing his voice behind her saying “no kissing”.

She said she then felt a a sharp pain in her vagina and fell face down on to the mattress.

The affidavit was never deployed in court because Hayne and the woman settled the case.