Former Fiji Bati and jailed NRL star Jarryd Hayne is facing financial crisis and had to sell his property to cover legal costs for his sexual assault case.
The two-time NRL player of the year has made a ‘huge legal move’ having launched a new appeal to clear his name after being jailed for raping a woman at a home in Newcastle almost five years ago.
It is estimated that Hayne has spent over $2m on legal fees and it is understood he has had to sell property to cover costs.
News Corp is reporting on Sunday that Hayne’s lawyer, Margaret Cunneen SC, is preparing a new appeal for the footy star.
‘It is on the grounds of an unreasonable and unjustifiable verdict not supported by the evidence,’ Cunneen said.
The NRL is reportedly taking close note of the outcome and is expected to strip him of his Dally M awards if he fails to overturn his conviction.
Hayne’s life is now a far cry from the famous footballer who drunkenly approached the front door of a Fletcher house on the night of the NRL grand final in 2018 at 9.07pm.
The former Dally M winner, who has suffered a remarkable fall from grace, was found guilty of two counts of sexual intercourse without consent in May this year and sentenced to four years and nine months behind bars.
Legal expenses have left the ex-sportsman in financial disaster, forcing him to offload much of his property portfolio – which was once worth more than $ 5 million.
The father-of-two was estimated to be paying up to $13,000 a day on his legal team during his trials.
According to insiders, barrister Phillip Boulten SC was charging $9,900 per day, and solicitor Penny Musgrove was on $3,000 per day.
Hayne’s property portfolio was once worth over $5 million, including terraces and cottages in trendy Sydney suburbs.
In his heyday, he owned investments in Paddington and Darlinghurst, which were sold for $2.97million in 2017 and $2.2million in 2019, respectively.
Hayne sold his first Sydney home purchase at St Peters for $995,000 in 2015, prior to his legal woes, as he made the move to the U.S. to pursue a career in the NFL.
He is understood to have held onto his modest $388,750 pile on the Central Coast, where he built an $80,000 custom extension for his mother to live in, as well as a unit in Parramatta.
