Jarryd Hayne’s rape conviction was overturned at the New South Wales Court of Criminal Appeal yesterday meaning the former Fiji Bati start will walk free from prison.
The former Paramatta Eels star was found guilty in May last year for sexually assaulting a woman at her Newcastle Home on the night of the 2018 NRL grand final.
He was tried three times over the incident – the first ended in a hung jury, he won an appeal in the second and third trial resulted in the quashed conviction.
The ABC reported that the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal was split 2-1 over the decision.
Justice Stephen Rothman said the appeal succeeded on two grounds- one concerning the trial judge’s decision not allow further cross-examination of the complainant and another concerning a direction to the jury about how to treat allegations the woman had lied.
