Teenage girls open up about how they were left vulnerable and terrified after being gang raped by a trio of men on a bucks party in Newcastle
One of three teenagers who was gang raped by a trio of men celebrating a bucks party has revealed she was terrified to face the world after the sexual assault.
One of three teenagers who was gang raped by a trio of men celebrating a bucks party has revealed she was terrified to face the world after the sexual assault.
Maurice Hawell, 30, Andrew David, 30, and Marius Hawell, 23, rented an Airbnb on Parry Street in Newcastle, north of Sydney, for a weekend in February 2022 to celebrate Maurices upcoming wedding.
The rental home became the setting of a horrific nightmare for two 18-year-old women and a 19-year-old woman who were gang raped by the trio over two nights.
David and Marius faced the NSW District Court on Tuesday for a sentence hearing before they faced judgment for sexually assaulting the three teens. Maurice will face a similar hearing on Wednesday.
The trio were found guilty of engaging in a joint criminal enterprise to sexually assault the women after a weeks-long trial in the NSW District Court earlier this year.
The 19-year-old victim told the court that she was terrified to face the world after she was sexually assaulted by Maurice and David in a dark room while Marius watched.
She told the court that she was left feeling vulnerable, experienced panic attacks and was unable to leave my home alone in the months that followed.
From being constantly surrounded by friends to wanting to be left alone, I felt I deeply lost myself, the victim explained.
Maurice Hawell, 30, (pictured) Andrew David, 30, and Marius Hawell, 23, rented an Airbnb on Parry Street in Newcastle, north of Sydney, for a weekend in February 2022 to celebrate Maurices upcoming wedding
Maurice Hawell (pictured right) was found guilty of sexually assaulting three women
I began to blame myself for allowing it to happen.
The teen said she had countless sleepless nights thinking about what she could have done differently to prevent the traumatic gang rape.
During the trial, she testified she had been approached on the street by Maurice, who used a fake name as he persuaded her to come up to the Airbnb for pre-drinks.
Instead of giving her a drink, she said Maurice pushed her onto a bed and asked her to have a threesome with him and David.
Despite her refusal, the 19-year-old said David knelt on her shoulders and forced his penis into her mouth while Maurice raped her.
The court was told the woman put her pants on backwards in her haste to leave the apartment afterwards and she was sobbing.
One of the 18-year-old victims said the gang rape on the Friday night had taken a massive emotional toll on every aspect of her life.
Marius Hawell, 23, (pictured) has also been convicted of sexually assaulting the women at the bucks party
She and a friend testified they were pinned down to beds and violated when they went into a bedroom to retrieve their phones as they tried to leave the Airbnb.
This event has made me stop trusting the people around me, she said.
I was unable to trust any man around me.
The 18-year-old said she had constant flashbacks and felt guilt about the traumatic incident, which had affected her way of viewing the world.
During the trial, she told the court she was raped by a man she couldnt see while another man knelt on her arms and thrust his penis into her mouth.
At the same time, the other 18-year-old recalled being held down on a neighbouring bed and stripped naked by a swarm of men before being sexually assaulted.
Although the teens could not see their assailants, the jurors found David, Maurice and Marius were responsible for the gang rapes.
All three men continue to maintain their innocence, with Maurice and David claiming the sexual activity was consensual, while Marius argued he hadnt engaged in any sex acts during the bucks weekend.
They have been in custody for two months since the jury returned guilty verdicts.
Andrew David (pictured) and Marius faced the NSW District Court on Tuesday for a sentence hearing before they faced judgment for sexually assaulting the three teens
