The woman Jarryd Hayne sexually assaulted is living a never-ending nightmare almost five years later while the man his lawyer describes as “very different” awaits sentencing.

The 35-year-old disgraced former NRL star learns his jail term on Friday after being found guilty of two counts of sexual intercourse without consent in April.

The woman he assaulted cannot be identified.

Crown prosecutor John Sfinas read a victim impact statement on her behalf in court on Monday.

She says her life has been “launched into what feels like a never-ending nightmare” in the almost five years since the assault, something she has been unable to move on from or feel any sense of peace about.

“I am stronger and I am wiser but I am damaged, and I won’t ever be the same person,” she wrote.

The now infamous footballer appeared before a packed NSW District Court in prison greens, sitting in the dock opposite supporters filling overflow seats in the jury box.

The pair cleaned blood off themselves in her ensuite before Hayne returned to a taxi he paid $550 to wait outside her suburban Newcastle home on the night of the 2018 NRL grand final.

Hayne spent almost an hour there, assaulting her for 30 seconds using his hands and mouth, his barrister Margaret Cunneen SC said.

“In the context, the nature of the sexual offences is relevant and it is a matter tending towards less serious,” Ms Cunneen said.

Hayne is “a very different man now”, committed to religion and his family, and presents no real risk of reoffending.

“He doesn’t possess the personality and thought patterns and sexual arousal patterns of a sexual offender,” Ms Cunneen said, quoting a psychologist’s report.

The judge agreed Hayne was unlikely to reoffend, for different reasons.

“He won’t be approached or make these kinds of assumptions based on his fame, because now it’s infamy,” the judge said.

Mr Sfinas submitted the woman felt significant fear during the ordeal, taking place in her home involving a man much bigger than her.

Ms Cunneen said the woman knew how big Hayne was before she invited him over and the nature, context and duration placed his offending on the lower level.

The Crown has accepted Hayne’s sentence could be reduced due to extra-curial punishment and public opprobrium during his multiple high-profile trials.

“The media has been extremely negative,” Ms Cunneen said, telling the court Hayne’s wife avoided coming to the hearing due to the enduring coverage.

She was pictured alongside Hayne walking into court for the last time in April as the NSW Supreme Court sent him into custody.

He was “remarkably” still on bail 10 days after being found guilty of committing two “extremely grave sexual offences”, Justice Richard Button said then.

Hayne’s sentence will be backdated to July 2, 2022 due to previous time in custody.

He was jailed for nine months before verdicts were overturned, requiring another trial, his third on charges laid in November 2018.

The first trial’s jury was unable to reach a verdict.

Hayne played most of his 214 NRL games for the Parramatta Eels as well as representing Australia and Fiji, selected for NSW in 23 State of Origin matches.

The judge said he was sorry to hear Hayne is returning to the harsher custodial conditions he faces for his protection while on remand at Silverwater on Monday. But he should be properly classified and moved to a more accommodating facility, and learn how long he will spend there, on Friday.

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National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028