Former NRL player Jarryd Hayne has been jailed for at least three years and eight months for raping a woman back in 2018.
Judge Helen Syme sentenced Hayne today to a maximum of five years and nine months behind bars, with a none-parole period of three years and eight months.
Hayne was found guilty by a the jury in March of sexual assault of a woman in her home in Newcastle, NSW.
"She clearly said no several times and indicated by her actions," Judge Syme said, before handing down her sentence at the Newcastle District Court.
"There is no other conclusion than he knew she did not consent."
She said Hayne knew the woman hadn't consented.
"The offender... went ahead anyway and forced a sexual act on her," Judge Syme said.
Judge Syme said the woman's refusal increased the seriousness of the crime.
She said the assault was brief, however noted Hayne only stopped because of the presence of blood.
"The assault was only a matter of minutes at most and he stopped," she said.
Syme said Hayne only stopped because he “noticed the blood” not because she told him to.
Judge Syme said Hayne’s “very difficult” upbringing had no impact on his “entitled behaviour next to this young woman who simply refused to have sexual relations with him”.
The court heard this attitude could not be fixed by Hayne “going to church”
Judge Syme said Hayne was a good father and positive contributions to the community but had shown no remorse over the incident and needed to change his attitude to consent, women and sex.
Earlier Hayne’s rape victim earlier spoke in court about rumours and innuendo that swirled around the case, saying the assault left her feeling “dirty and violated”.
“People talk about my vagina, my choices, and like to give their opinions based on what they’ve heard and it is the most helpless feeling,” the woman, who cannot be identified, told the Newcastle District Court on Wednesday.
He intends to appeal the guilty verdict, saying “I’d rather go to jail knowing I spoke the truth than be a free man living a lie.”
The court previously heard it was “inevitable” he would be jailed after being found guilty of two counts of sexual assault.
