She said each time she feels she is starting to recover mentally, something new will arise such as a court date, and she relives “the same trauma over and over”.
The woman said discussion of the incident on social media and reporting in the media had been “extremely difficult to handle”.
“Those things don’t just hurt, but they stay with me,” she said.
“This assault was something horrible that happened to me, something I feel that was very private, yet people speak about it like they were there.”
The woman said she remained “extremely insecure” about her body.
“I am stronger, and I am wiser, but I am damaged, and I won’t ever be the same person,” she said.
Hayne’s trial heard he stopped at the woman’s home in the Newcastle suburb of Fletcher on September 30, 2018, on his way back to Sydney after a buck’s weekend, leaving a $550 taxi outside and telling the driver he needed to collect a bag.
The Crown case against Hayne was that the possibility of sex evaporated for the woman when she became aware of the waiting vehicle, after a knock at the door or a beep of the taxi’s horn.
Jarryd Hayne, with wife Amellia Bonnici, outside court on April 4 after he was found guilty of sexual assault.Credit: Nikki Short
In her evidence, including recordings played in closed court, the woman said Hayne was rough and forceful and performed the acts despite her protestations of “no” and “stop”, leaving her bleeding.
Hayne’s bail was revoked in the NSW Supreme Court eight days after the most recent guilty verdicts.
It was the second time a jury had convicted him over the incident. Hayne was jailed in 2021 for five years and nine months, with a non-parole period of three years and eight months. However, he served just nine months behind bars due to his convictions being quashed on appeal and a retrial ordered.
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The complainant was recalled to give evidence at Hayne’s third trial. The prosecutor tendered her two victim impact statements including one from the first sentence proceedings, and the updated statement dated May 4.
Sfinas previously submitted Hayne was “definitely going to jail”, to which the judge replied, “There’s no question about that.”
Hayne’s barrister Margaret Cunneen described his past sentence for the crimes as a “ceiling”, rather than a guide.
The court heard Hayne’s sentence will be backdated to account for his previous time in custody.
Hayne has always maintained his innocence. His lawyers have indicated an intention to appeal.
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