Jarryd Hayne has begun the appeal process after he was sentenced to prison for the sexual assault of a woman in Newcastle in 2018.
The former NRL star was on Thursday jailed for five years and nine months, with a non-parole period of three years and eight months.
Maintaining his innocence throughout, the 33-year-old has now lodged a Notice of Intention to Appeal in the NSW Supreme Court.
#BREAKING Jarryd Hayne will appeal his conviction for sexually assaulting a woman near Newcastle in 2018. Hayne was jailed for 5 years and 9 months yesterday @nbnnews #jarrydhayne
— Tyson Cottrill (@TysonCottrill) May 7, 2021
Hayne spent his first night behind bars on Thursday after he was led away by corrective services following the sentencing hearing at Newcastle District Court.
Facing a maximum sentence of 14 years prison, Judge Helen Syme said she believed Hayne was aware the woman wasn't consenting and went ahead anyway.
"I have found the offender was fully aware that the victim was not consenting and went ahead anyway. His decision to do so increases the objective seriousness." - Judge Helen Syme as she sentences Jarryd #Hayne for sexual assault. @9NewsSyd
— Tiffiny Genders (@tiffgenders) May 6, 2021
Judge Syme says she accepts Hayne is a loving father and generally good contributor to the community but “at present he shows no remorse and does not accept a need to change his attitude to consent, to sex and to women”
— Heath Parkes-Hupton (@heath_parkes) May 6, 2021
Hayne was found guilty of sexual assault at a re-trial in NSW District Court in March after the original trial in Newcastle failed to reach a majority verdict.
At Thursday's hearing, Hayne claimed he was on the verge of signing a $500,000, one-year contract with St George Illawarra prior to being charged by police in November 2018.
The court heard a victim impact statement in which the woman said she had been forever changed by the incident on the night of the 2018 NRL grand final.
Former teammate and friend Tim Mannah was also called upon as a character witness.
Hayne had been in Newcastle for a buck's party when he stopped by the then-26-year-old woman's Fletcher home on the way back to Sydney.
After communicating over social media for several weeks, Hayne arrived at the woman's home, leaving a cab waiting outside, having already negotiated a $550 fare.
Hayne was found guilty of sexually assaulting the woman in her bedroom, though he insists all sexual activity was consensual and is now attempting to appeal the verdict.
Hayne played 214 NRL games across stints with the Eels and Titans, but hasn't played since 2018.
1800RESPECT - Sexual assault and domestic violence counselling: 1800 737 732
Lifeline: 13 11 14
