Three men jailed for gang rape at Airbnb during cash party in Newcastle

Three Sydney men have been sentenced to long prison sentences for the “degrading and disgusting” gang rape of three young women during a dollar weekend in Newcastle in 2022.

Maurice Hawell, 30, Andrew David, 30, and Marius Hawell, 22, were convicted by a jury on multiple counts of aggravated sexual assault in company, aggravated sexual touching in company and attempted sexual assault sexual intercourse in July.

Sentencing today, Judge Gina O’Rourke described the offenses as “serious, degrading and disgusting”.

“These are three educated, intelligent, successful, professional young men from loving Christian families who treat their sisters, mothers and partners with respect and love,” Judge O’Rourke told the court.

“And yet this weekend they were able, in a pack mentality, to treat three young women in this cold, callous, degrading and criminal way.”

“Everyone is responsible and responsible”

The offenses took place at an Airbnb flat in Newcastle on February 25 and 26 during Maurice Hawell’s money weekend, which involved six other men.

The court heard that on Friday 25 the men attacked two 18-year-old friends in a flat after meeting them at a Cambridge hotel.

Evidence presented to the jury showed that both women had been drinking and one had taken MDMA, and both had initially agreed to have consensual sex – one with Maurice Hawell, who said his name was “Joseph”, and the other with another man present at the trial. weekend for pennies.

The court heard that after the consensual meeting, both women returned to the bedroom to retrieve some belongings and were about to join friends at the Cambridge Hotel when they were surrounded by a “swarm of men”.

Judge O’Rourke described how the victims were unable to identify the men attacking them and said they only saw “shadows and movements”.

Judge O’Rourke found three men engaged in a joint criminal enterprise to commit sexual assault while knowing that the victims “were not consenting or were acting recklessly.”

“No specific act can be attributed to any particular perpetrator due to the darkness of the room and the consequent inability of any victim to identify which man had committed which act,” Judge O’Rourke said.

“But each is responsible and accountable for the actions of the other.”

Criminals ‘callously objectified the victim’

The court heard from a third woman, 19, who was approached by Maurice Hawell on Saturday, January 26, who told her his name was “Jonathon”.

The woman entered the apartment with Hawell, although she initially refused and sent a text message to a friend saying “help me now.”

The court heard the 19-year-old felt “scared and anxious” as three men restrained her and sexually assaulted her.

Reading the facts before the court, Judge O’Rourke said the criminals had “callously objectified the victim”.

“All three men treated the victim as if she was an object of sexual abuse at their whim and pleasure, rather than a young woman who deserved respect and kindness and was shown no dignity.”

Passing sentence, Judge O’Rourke noted that none of the three men had any previous convictions and were well respected by their families.

“The court is indeed perplexed as to why young men of good character, high levels of education, qualifications and family background committed such serious crimes against three young women in the way they did,” she said.

“This weekend, their actions and intentions were in stark contrast to how their mothers, wives, girlfriends and sisters described them.”

Maurice Hawell was sentenced to 14 years in prison with a non-parole ban of eight years and six months.

Andrew David was sentenced to 13 years in prison with a non-parole ban of seven years and nine months.

Marius Hawell was sentenced to nine years in prison with a non-parole ban of five years and five months.