Jarryd Hayne sexual assault trial begins in NSW District Court, jury hears texts he received after incident

A woman who alleges she was sexually assaulted by former NRL star Jarryd Hayne sent him texts after saying she was “hurting so much”, a court has heard.

Jarryd Hayne arriving at the District Court. Picture: NCA Newswire / Gaye Gerard

A woman who alleged she was sexually assaulted by former NRL star Jarryd Hayne sent him text messages after the incident saying she “didn’t want to do that” and was “hurting so much” while “sitting in her room crying”, a court has heard.

The former footy legend, 35, is facing trial in the NSW District Court after he denied sexually assaulting the woman at her home in Fletcher, on Newcastle’s outskirts in September 2018, on the night of the NRL grand final.

He has persistently maintained his innocence, claiming he engaged in consensual sexual acts and has pleaded not guilty to two counts of aggravated sexual intercourse without consent.

The court was told Mr Hayne was in Newcastle on the weekend of 29 and 30 September to attend a bucks weekend, while the pair were trying to arrange a meeting.

Former NRL star Jarryd Hayne is accused of sexually assaulting a woman at a home in Newcastle. Picture: NCA Newswire / Gaye Gerard.

Crown prosecutor John Sfinas gave his opening address to the jury on Monday afternoon and told the court Mr Hayne is accused of pulling off the woman’s pants before allegedly performing oral and digital sexual acts on her without her consent, causing cuts and substantial bleeding.

After attending a two-day bucks party for a former Fijian Test teammate, Mr Hayne paid a taxi driver $550 to drive him back to his home in Sydney and stop at the woman’s place along the way.

Mr Sfinas told the jury the woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, claims that when she realised there was a taxi waiting outside, she refused to consent to sexual intercourse.

“(The woman) did not know he made an agreement with the taxi to drive him all the way to Sydney, she did not know the taxi was waiting for the accused after he said it would be a minute,” Mr Sfinas said.

“It is the crown case this was a defining moment for the complainant.”

The jury was told the woman thought Mr Hayne was in her bedroom for one reason and had “no reason to stay” after.

Mr Sfinas said the woman did not want to have any sexual activity in those circumstances.

The crown alleged the pair were sitting on the woman’s bed when he tried to kiss her, where the woman said “no and stop”.

However it is alleged Mr Hayne continued to perform sexual acts on the woman but only stopped when they realised she was bleeding from her genitalia.

Mr Hayne with his defence barrister Margaret Cunneen SC. Picture: NCA Newswire / Gaye Gerard.

The jury was told Mr Hayne had blood on both his lips and hands.

Mr Hayne went into the bathroom to wash his hands before the woman got in the shower to clean off the blood and she felt “swelling” and “stinging” on her genitalia, the crown alleged.

Mr Sfinas told the court that after the former Parramatta Eels fullback left her house, she sent him a text complaining “I am hurting so much”.

She also said: “I know I’ve talked about sex and stuff so much but I didn’t want to do that after knowing the taxi was waiting for you.”

“I thought you would have at least stayed, I don’t know what to feel I told my mum it was a nosebleed and I’m sitting in my room crying,” she continued.

Mr Hayne responded: “Go doctor tomorrow”.

The court heard about two weeks before the incident the pair began communication via Instagram.

Mr Sfinas told the jury while many of the communications were sexual in nature, the woman never consented to sexual intercourse.

The court will also hear that the woman sent her friend a text in the aftermath of the incident saying he was “rough” and “forceful”.

Mr Hayne is accused of sexually assaulting a woman on NRL grand final night in 2018. Picture: NCA Newswire / Gaye Gerard

Mr Hayne’s defence barrister Margaret Cunneen SC told the court the act was completely consensual.

“No sexual assault ever occurred in this bedroom in the Newcastle suburb of Fletcher in September 2018,” Ms Cunneen told the jury.

“He did not do anything he thought was wrong.”

Ms Cunneen told the court the woman sent sexual messages to Mr Hayne prior to their meeting.

“I imagined what it would be like to be f**king you when you started talking,” one of the messages allegedly read, the court was told.

Ms Cunneen said the woman “never said no, never pushed away, and never called to her mother in the next room”.

A total of 14 jurors were selected from a group of about 50 people, who Judge Graham Turnbull SC warned about extensive media coverage of the matter prior to Monday.

The jury panel was told Mr Hayne had gained notoriety from his sporting achievements, but the jury must not approach the matter if they have “jumped to conclusions”.

“Familiarity with a sport may incline one to unfounded but instinctive conclusions,” Judge Turnbull told the jury panel.

“The jury must concentrate on the evidence, the evidence in this trial alone.”

The former Parramatta Eels fullback was first charged in November 2018.

The trial continues before Judge Turnbull.