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Hayne to face jury in November over rape charges

Former NRL star Jarryd Hayne’s rape trial is set to be heard by a NSW jury in November.

Jul 02, 2020, updated Jul 02, 2020
Former NRL star Jarryd Hayne has had his sexual assault convictions quashed. (Photo: AAP Image/Darren Pateman)

Former NRL star Jarryd Hayne has had his sexual assault convictions quashed. (Photo: AAP Image/Darren Pateman)

Hayne’s trial had initially been set down for May 4 in the Newcastle District Court but he rejected an offer to have his fate decided by judge alone, preferring a jury trial. The NSW Director of Public Prosecutions also wanted a jury trial.

The case was back in court on Thursday before Judge Tim Gartelmann for a case management hearing in the lead-up to the November 23 trial.

Defence lawyer Penny Musgrave told the court an issue surrounding a subpoena was still being finalised and asked for a six-week adjournment.

She was confident the issue would be sorted out before the November 23 trial.

Hayne, 32, has pleaded not guilty to two charges of aggravated sexual assault involving a woman in NSW’s Hunter Valley.

Judge Gartelmann agreed to adjourn the case to August 13 for a further case management hearing and continued Hayne’s bail.

Hayne, who was excused from attending court on Thursday and is no longer required to report to police once a week, will not have to appear in person again until November 19.

The trial is estimated to take two weeks.

Hayne is accused of sexually assaulting a 26-year-old woman on September 30, 2018, between 8:00pm and 10:00pm in Newcastle.

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Court documents state Hayne had sex with the woman without her consent and “recklessly inflicted actual bodily harm”.

He has been on bail since his arrest and was allowed to travel to Western Australia in July last year to attend a six-month missionary course at the Youth With a Mission centre.

The court previously heard Hayne planned to stay in a dormitory-style accommodation with other men near the evangelical Christian centre’s training campus.

Hayne was required to attend lectures and not drink alcohol.

The aggravated rape charges each carry a maximum 20-year jail term if Hayne is convicted.

-AAP

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