JARRYD HAYNE, a rugby league star who also played in the NFL for the San Francisco 49ers, has been sentenced to at least three years and eight months in jail for the sexual assault of a woman in 2018.

Hayne was found guilty in March of two counts of sexual assault.

A judge ruled Thursday that Hayne should be jailed for five years, nine months with a nonparole period of three years and eight months. After the sentencing was announced, Hayne was taken away by corrective services officials.

Hayne was found not guilty of the two more serious charges of aggravated sexual assault without consent inflicting actual bodily harm.

The 33-year-old Hayne had denied assaulting the woman in the bedroom of her home in Newcastle, north of Sydney, in September 2018. Court testimony said Hayne had a taxi waiting in front of the woman’s home while he was with her.

In handing down the sentence, District Court Judge Helen Syme said she found that Hayne was fully aware that the victim was not consenting and proceeded anyway.

Hayne was a two-time player of the year in Australia’s National Rugby League. He also had a season in the NFL with the 49ers.

He represented Australia and was a star for New South Wales in the annual State of Origin series against Queensland.

(SD-Agencies)