Texts revealed in bucks party ‘rape’ case

A jury has heard a string of messages sent by attendees at a bucks party during which three women claim to have been assaulted.

Texts sent by members of a bucks party crew in the minutes after an alleged rape occurred have been read out in court as three men face trial over the incident.

Brothers Maurice, 30, and Marius Hawell, 22, and Andrew David, 30, are on trial over the alleged sexual assaults of three women during the February 2022 trip to Newcastle.

The NSW District Court has heard they deny the allegations, which were said to have taken place inside a Parry St Airbnb hired as accommodation for Maurice Hawell’s bucks party.

The Hawells and Mr David have pleaded not guilty to charges including aggravated sexual assault in company, claiming all sex was consensual and denying certain acts took place at all.

Maurice Hawell has pleaded not guilty to all charges. Picture: Paul Brescia

Andrew David also maintains his innocence.

On Monday, several of the bucks party attendees were called to give evidence about what they saw on the trip.

David Babanour was asked by Crown prosecutor Craig Evans if there had been “any discussions” among members of the bucks party to engage in group sex on the trip.

“I don’t remember if we spoke about the topic,” he said.

The court heard members of the group had been out at the Cambridge Hotel on Friday, February 25, the first night of the trip.

Just after midnight, the court heard Mr Babanour messaged Maurice Hawell after learning he had taken a girl back to the Airbnb.

Asked why he would send that message, Mr Babanour replied: “I don’t recall, it was a long time ago.”

Mr Babanour soon after messaged Mr David

“Did the boys n***?” he asked.

Mr David replied, “Yea”, the court heard.

Nr Babanour went on to ask “who n***ed?”.

Several WhatsApp messages Mr Babanour exchanged with another friend, Matthew Anoih, on the night of February 26, were also read to the court.

The court heard a woman, who was not a complainant in the case, was at the unit to meet with party guest Zaid Haddad after they matched on Bumble.

About 10:43pm, Mr Anoih messaged Mr Babanour to ask, “where’s Maurice?”.

“Andrew and Zaid n***ed that bitch,” he replied. “I think they are n***ing her again”

The court heard Mr Anoih then asked: “which one?”.

“The tinder one,” Mr Babanour replied.

The conversation continued with Mr Anoih asking about another girl who had come back to the apartment with Maurice Hawell.

“Maurice f**ked her,” Mr Babanour replied. “And Andrew kha 30 seconds.

“But he got disgusted alasas.”

Mr Babanour explained “kha” and “alasas” were Assyrian words for “like” and “apparently” respectively. He is not accused of wrongdoing.

Zaid Haddad also gave evidence on Monday and denied claims made by the woman he met on Bumble that she was sexually assaulted by another man in the kitchen.

She also claimed two men, who the court heard were allegedly Mr David and Maurice Hawell, came into a bedroom and began touching her while she was having consensual sex with Mr Haddad.

Mr Haddad told the court this was not possible as no one else came into the room.

“No, I was alone with (the woman) in that bedroom,” he told the court.

Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle. Picture: Google Maps.

Mr Haddad said he was “not interested” in other people joining in the sex and could not recall any discussions about plans for group sex on the trip.

It is not suggested Mr Haddad engaged in any wrongdoing and he has not been charged with any offences.

No one has been charged over this woman’s claims.

She was called as a witness to the alleged assault of another woman, Ms C, which was said to have occurred on the same night, February 26, 2022.

Mr Haddad rejected the woman’s evidence of him telling her “don’t worry about it” when she asked about Ms C being taken into a bedroom.

“No, we never spoke about anything for me to tell her. Don’t worry about it,” he said.

Ms C claims she was raped by two men while another watched on.

Two other women have previously told the trial they were raped in a dark bedroom by multiple men after returning to the unit on February 25 for consensual sex with Maurice Hawell and Mr Anoih – who is not accused of wrongdoing.

The trial continues before Judge Gina O’Rourke.