Ex-NRL player Jarryd Hayne has won his appeal to overturn his conviction of raping a woman in her Newcastle home.
The conviction has been quashed in the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal, with Hayne now ordered to face a fourth trial.
It has been left to the Department of Public Prosecutions to decide whether or not that trial will go ahead.
Listen to The Briefing’s episode where Sacha Barbour Gatt went throug the backstory of Jarryd Hayne:
Justice Stephen Rothman said Hayne’s appeal succeeded on two grounds.
The first concerning the trial judge’s decision not allow further cross-examination of the complainant. The other concerning a direction to the jury about how to treat allegations the woman had lied.
Hayne, a two-time Dally M winner, was found guilty of sexually assaulting a woman on the night of the 2018 NRL Grand Final, following a high profile trial in 2023.
It is the third time Hayne faced a trial over the incident and the second time he was found guilty. The 36-year-old has spent the last year in jail after being convicted of two counts of sexual intercourse withour consent in April, 2023.
He has always maintained his innocence.
The Court of Appeal will hear arguments Wednesday afternoon about whether Hayne should now be granted bail.
In the three trials, the jury was told the woman, who cannot be identified, changed her mind about having intercourse with Hayne after realising he had a taxi waiting outside her home.
Hayne’s barrister argued text messages has been deleted by the woman which showed she initally had demonstrated a sexual interest.