Jarryd Hayne jailed for three years for rape of Newcastle woman in 2018

After five years and three trials, convicted rapist Jarryd Hayne will spend at least the next two years behind bars.

Convicted rapist Jarryd Hayne will spend another two years in prison after he was found guilty of sexually assaulting a woman at her Newcastle home on the night of the NRL grand final in 2018.

The 35-year-old exclaimed “f**king three years bro, three years” after the sentence was handed down by Judge Graham Turnbull SC on Friday.

Hayne appeared via audiovisual link at Sydney’s Downing Centre District Court from Silverwater Correctional Complex, wearing his prison greens.

His wife Amellia Bonnici did not appear in court to see her husband sentenced but watched the proceedings online.

The former Dally M winner has spent the past four weeks behind bars after he was taken into custody during a Supreme Court bail hearing on April 14.

Hayne remained on bail for just 10 days, spending his last days of freedom with his family before he was sent to prison.

But now that four weeks will extend to May 2025, with Judge Turnbull telling the court Hayne is a “completely different man” to the person who committed the offences.

“People are going to be left to suffer as a result of him being taken from them,” Judge Turnbull said.

“He is going to be doing his time in a difficult environment.”

Jarryd Hayne will learn his fate for raping a woman at her Newcastle home in 2018. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Swift

A maximum aggregate sentence of four years and nine months was handed down, but it was backdated to May 7, 2022.

He will be eligible for parole on May 7, 2025.

“Say no more,” Hayne said to the judge at the conclusion of the sentence.

Lawyers representing Hayne lodged the intention to appeal notice over the guilty verdict on Friday afternoon, meaning the appeal case is officially open.

Judge Turnbull said Hayne had overwhelmed the victim in an “inherently unequal contest” with an “indulgence of physical power to achieve some sexual gratification”.

He spoke of Hayne’s sporting achievements and how he had contributed greatly to the community in the years before he was charged.

But he conceded Hayne “won’t be remembered for” his achievements.

“The offender will not be remembered for his moral qualities or his sporting achievements, significant as they were, they have been tainted,” Judge Turnbull said.

Despite going into detail about Hayne’s sporting abilities, his loss of career and how imprisonment has affected his family, Judge Turnbull told the court his remarks on sentence should not “obscure the fact there was a young woman who was dealt with criminally by the offender”.

The judge said Hayne had maintained his innocence and did not express any contrition or remorse.

He said the victim had “endeavoured to stand up for herself” and bring Hayne to the attention of the authorities.

Hayne with his wife Amellia Bonnici, before he was taken into custody on April 14. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Simon Bullard

“The complainant has not been passive in the face of adversity, her generosity in feeling for others when that night her feelings were disregarded,” the judge said.

“She should carry no blame, she should in no way feel unclean and she should feel safe as all complainants should feel safe.

“Quite frankly through her own efforts she has brought this offender to justice.”

Judge Turnbull said the woman is dealing with people commenting on social media, but has kept it together through court proceedings.

Outside court, Detective Inspector Eugene Stek told media the victim is “much braver than she believes and much stronger than she seems”.

“She’s certainly much smarter than she thinks,” he said.

Hayne will now be properly classified as a prisoner in need of protection and moved to a more accommodating facility where he will be around other high-profile prisoners.

After five years, three trials, an appeal and nine months in prison, Hayne was in April found guilty of sexually assaulting a woman at her Newcastle home in 2018.

It was the third time Hayne faced a trial over the same incident, and the second time he was found guilty.

While he claims the sexual encounter was entirely consensual, the jury accepted the woman’s version of events that she repeatedly said “no” and ”stop”.

The jury was told the woman refused to consent to sex because the ex-Parramatta fullback had a taxi waiting outside.

Hayne has requested to appear for sentence via AVL. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Swift

Judge Turnbull said Hayne only stopped the non-consensual sexual acts because the woman began bleeding.

“The offending only stopped when the bleeding commenced,” the judge said.

“He did not relent voluntarily.”

A victim impact statement was read to the court on behalf of the victim during the sentence hearing on Monday by Crown prosecutor John Sfinas.

The woman said her life has been a “never-ending nightmare” since September 30, 2018.

“I still don’t know how to put any of this into words,” the statement read.

“From the 30th of September 2018, my life has been launched into what feels like a never-ending nightmare.”

The woman said she was hoping to move on after the second trial, but said she hadn’t had the chance to “move on or feel peace”, reliving the trauma “over and over”.

“In September it will be five years since this has happened. I was a 26-year-old with the world at her feet, now I am nearly 31 and haven’t been able to finish uni,” the woman said.

“I am stronger, I am wiser, but I am damaged and I won’t ever be the same person.”

Hayne’s lawyers have indicated they plan to appeal the verdict.