Scone rugby league players on trial for alleged rape, jury hears
Two country New South Wales rugby league players are on trial for allegedly raping a woman in 2023, with the jury hearing that the men believed they had consent for group sex. The woman testified that she repeatedly said 'no' and 'stop' and did not agree to group sex.
A jury has been told that two rugby league players from country New South Wales believed they "could be on" for group sex on the night they allegedly raped a woman.
Hayden Charles Topliss, 37, and Ryan Matthew Hawkshaw, 27, are on trial in the Newcastle District Court, facing four counts of aggravated sexual intercourse in company. The alleged offences occurred in a spare bedroom at Mr Topliss's house in Scone in 2023.
The woman, who knew Mr Hawkshaw as "a footy boy" and had heard of his teammate Mr Topliss, testified that she repeatedly said "no" and "stop" and did not agree to group sex.
Mr Topliss told the jury that he spoke to Mr Hawkshaw earlier on the night of the alleged rape about the woman. "He [Mr Hawkshaw] said, 'I think we might be on here', that she could come inside and have a threesome," Mr Topliss said. "We spoke at the RSL and he said she might be keen."
Mr Hawkshaw told jurors that the woman followed him into the bedroom. "I said to her, 'Come on I will show you something,'" Mr Hawkshaw said. He also testified that he asked the woman if she wanted to have group sex. "I brought it up, it was a suggestion to which she agreed," he said.
The Crown alleges that the woman had consensual sex with Mr Hawkshaw before he called for Mr Topliss to come in. The woman testified that she did not agree to group sex, but despite this, she said Mr Topliss came in and forced her down.
Crown prosecutor Charisse Hodgeman said in her opening address that the woman confided in a relative the next day. "She told [the relative] she 'felt like she had been raped'," Ms Hodgeman said.
Mr Topliss told the jury that he never forced her down and never sexually assaulted the woman. "I thought she was there to have sex," Mr Topliss said. He also testified that the entire time he was in the bedroom, he could not get an erection and no sexual assault occurred. "She was enjoying being there, she wasn't uncomfortable," he said.
Ms Hodgeman said in her closing address that the woman was reliable and unshaken when questioned about her evidence. "She should impress you as a witness of truth and the Crown says she gave detailed evidence, and did not exaggerate," she said.
Defence barristers for the men said jurors needed to assess the woman's reliability and alleged version of events. Closing addresses will continue on Tuesday.