Former NRL star Jarryd Hayne is set to challenge a lawsuit filed by his former rape accuser after he was acquitted of the criminal charges related to her allegations. During a brief hearing at the NSW Supreme Court on Wednesday, the woman’s attorney, Gerard Gooden, stated that both parties have agreed on a timeline for the lawsuit to proceed. Gooden noted, “It was stood over from last week to give the parties the opportunity to consider whether they wanted informal settlement negotiations,” which they ultimately declined.
Hayne had been convicted twice of raping the woman at her home in Newcastle following the 2018 NRL grand final. However, his lengthy legal ordeal concluded in June when an appeal court overturned his latest convictions, despite him having served a significant prison sentence. His previous legal battles included a hung jury in his initial trial in 2020 and an earlier appeal that reversed the 2021 guilty verdict from his second trial.
In addition to his controversies off the field, Hayne has had a notable sports career, representing Australia in 11 games and playing 23 matches for the NSW State of Origin team, as well as having a brief stint with the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers.