Ex-NRL star Jarryd Hayne found guilty of sexual assault

SYDNEY (AP) — Ex-rugby league international Jarryd Hayne has been found guilty of the sexual assault of a woman in 2018.

A District Court jury in Sydney deliberated for almost 18 hours before reaching a decision on Monday.

The jury found Hayne not guilty of aggravated sexual intercourse without consent inflicting actual bodily harm, but guilty of two alternative counts of sexual intercourse without consent.

He was released on bail, on the condition that he report daily to police, and will face sentencing in May.

Hayne had denied assaulting the woman in the bedroom of her home in Newcastle, north of Sydney, on the night of the National Rugby League grand final in September, 2018.

A two-time player of the year in Australia's NRL, Hayne represented Australia and was a star for New South Wales in the annual State of Origin series against Queensland.

He also spent a season with the San Francisco 49ers in the NFL before returning to rugby league via a brief stint with Fiji’s rugby sevens squad in 2016. Hayne has not played in the NRL since his contract with Parramatta expired in 2018.

___

More AP sports: https://apnews.com/apf-sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports