Jarryd Hayne’s defence case had one witness – a man the victim was texting the same day

Bombshell text messages between a woman who was sexually assaulted by Jarryd Hayne and a second man played a key part in the NRL player’s third trial.

A tradie who was messaging a woman the same day she was sexually assaulted by Jarryd Hayne had only met her three times before she said she would “get Jarryd Hayne to come over” after his rejection.

The former football star was found guilty on Tuesday of sexually assaulting a woman at her Newcastle home on the night of the NRL grand final in 2018.

While it was the third trial, this was the first time a jury heard from Steven Page.

Mr Page, who now resides in Western Australia, was the only witness in the defence case and the final person to give evidence in the 11-day trial.

He had been living in Newcastle at the time of the offence in 2018, but now lives in Perth and works as a Project Manager in the mines.

Jarryd Hayne was found guilty of sexual assault on Tuesday. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Swift

His social media reveals he is an avid surfer and is now in a relationship. He has also advocated for men’s mental health on his social media pages.

The jury was told Mr Page’s evidence only came to light when he made contact with Hayne’s legal team during a previous trial.

Police were not aware of the exchange with Mr Page during their initial investigation into the sexual assault, the court was told.

He had only given a statement to police this year.

Defence barrister Margaret Cunneen SC claimed the victim had attempted to “curate” her evidence in an attempt to get police and the jury to side with her.

“You might be very concerned that with this crafting of the evidence, does that affect your assessment of her capacity to fill in the blanks, or leave material out or to make the evidence that she thinks will assist herself in this case?” she asked the jury in her closing argument.

Despite it being the only fresh evidence in the case, the defence’s argument failed as the jury accepted the woman’s version of events.

The content of Mr Page’s evidence was an issue of debate during pre-trial argument between the Crown and defence, but ultimately Judge Graham Turnbull SC allowed it to be tendered to the jury.

The texts were banned from the previous jury, but were mentioned in Hayne’s appeal in 2021.

Steven Page had texted the victim on the day of the assault. Picture: Facebook

Mr Page was the only witness in the defence case. Picture: Facebook

During the pre-trial argument, Judge Turnbull told the court the victim had been watching the proceedings of the appeal via AVL.

After hearing Mr Page’s texts mentioned, the court heard she angrily went to his apartment about 11.45am.

“She attends upon the unit and conducts herself in this way, she calls Mr Page but he doesn’t answer,” Judge Turnbull said.

“She bangs on the door and says ‘you f***ed my appeal’.”

The court was told the police were then called.

The woman then said to a police officer: “If those messages get out, I’m f***ed and he will get off.”

Judge Turnbull told the court that Mr Page’s housemate was in the unit and opened the door.

“She said, tell Steve he’s just f***ed me with the appeal’,” Judge Turnbull said.

He said the woman appeared to be “very agitated and angry” at the time as it was a “situational event arising from distress” in the way she saw the appeal to be going.

Judge Turnbull said he could not see why it was necessary to canvass the matter further, saying it had an “almost infinitesimal weight” and was unrelated.

The woman texted Steven Page on the same day she was assaulted by Hayne. Picture: Mockup

The woman kept messaging all day. Picture: Mockup

However, he allowed the texts to be tendered and for Mr Page to give evidence.

Mr Page, who has tattoos covering his arms and neck, appeared for just 20 minutes of what can now be described as the defence’s failed case.

He told the court he had met the victim just three times before September 30, 2018.

On that day – the same day she was sexually assaulted by Hayne – the woman had been contacting Mr Page “continually” as he had lunch and dinner with friends.

He told the jury he thought the woman’s constant messages “was a joke”, especially when they referenced Hayne.

Texts between the pair were tendered to the court, which reveal the victim sent Mr Page a message which said: “you have made me feel f***ing terrible today bye” with a waving emoji.

When asked why he received it, Mr Page said: “I didn’t want to go see her”.

The woman then wrote: “Are you going to talk to me, otherwise I won’t … at least answer me and stop being a d**k”.

Mr Page responded: “You honestly lost me at Jarryd Hayne is your side boy”.

But the victim denied Hayne was her “side boy”.

Steven Page said he did not want to see the woman. Picture: Facebook

“He isn’t. He contacted me last night and asked for my number and rang me, I told him no,” the text to Mr Page said.

Mr Page told the jury he stopped talking to the woman but she continued her tirade of messages.

“You said maybe, so I’m asking if you’re not? I feel like a f***ing idiot, are you coming over?” she asked.

She continued: “K, if we aren’t going to keep talking, I’m going to say yes to Jarryd Hayne coming here to hang out when he’s done with his mates; otherwise I won’t let him.”

“Omg (sic) get me his signature babe xx,” Mr Page responded.

The victim responded: “You’re an a**hole, don’t speak to me again.”

Mr Page told the court he was joking in the final text message he sent because he didn’t take the woman seriously.

He described her as being “aggressive”.

“All I can recall was just feeling like she was being aggressive and she was just messaging me non-stop talking to herself,” Mr Page said.

The jury was told the woman sent a further six messages to Mr Page.

She continued to ask if he was coming over before saying “stop talking to me altogether” and calling him a jerk.

“You said maybe so I’m asking if you’re not, … I feel like a f**king idiot … are you coming over … k (sic) … if we aren’t going to keep talking I’m going to say yes to Jarryd,” more messages read.

Mr Page told the court the messages were spread over many hours, spanning from before lunch right through until 8pm.

Hayne arrived at the woman’s house at 9.07pm.

He is due to face court on Thursday for a detention application.

Originally published as Jarryd Hayne’s defence case had one witness – a man the victim was texting the same day