Hayman guilty of abuse
A FORMER director of Yeshiva in Sydney pleaded guilty to one count of indecent assault by a person in authority in a Sydney court on Wednesday.
A FORMER director of Yeshiva in Sydney pleaded guilty to one count of indecent assault by a person in authority in a Sydney court on Wednesday.
Daniel “Gug” Hayman (pictured) had been charged with two counts of gross indecency relating to the alleged sexual abuse of two boys in the 1980s, but made a deal with prosecutors that saw him cop to the greater charge, which carries with it a maximum of six years in prison. The gross indecency charges were dropped.
On Monday, the Downing Centre Local Court heard that Hayman inappropriately touched two alleged victims, one at a private home in Bondi and one at a Jewish camp, in the 1980s, and that in 2012 the abuser paid one of them more than $25,000 to keep quiet.
Magistrate David Williams was told that Hayman, who now lives in Los Angeles, and one of the victims signed a deed of release in 2012 precluding the latter from pursuing civil action or speaking publicly about the incident.
A prosecution lawyer stated that in the deed the man “alleges that the defendant sexually assaulted him whilst on a camp”, adding that “the defendant admitted to the substance of the allegations of the claim” and paid the alleged victim $27,000 in accordance with the deed of release.
The AJN revealed last year that NSW police believed victims of abuse within the Sydney Jewish community may have been paid to stay silent.
The victim who co-signed the deed had already spoken to police in 2011 about the incident, with the interview leading to criminal charges being laid.
It was also revealed that in November 2011 the same victim recorded a conversation with Hayman during which the abuser admitted wrongdoing. “It is the Crown case that in this call the accused admits to some sexual misconduct with the complainant,” the prosecutor said.
“He [Hayman] stated that he may recall an incident when he attempted to touch the complainant inappropriately when he stayed over for the night.”
Six months after the recording, in May 2012, Hayman and the victim signed the deed of release.
Hayman did not take the stand to deny the claim.
The businessman had hoped to avoid jail time, with his lawyers arguing that their client’s offences amount to indecent assault – a charge with a statute of limitations of 12 months – rather than gross indecency, but pleaded guilty to the single charge after a deal was struck with prosecutors.
Sentencing is expected to take place later this week.
JOSHUA LEVI
Daniel “Gug” Hayman has pleaded guilty to one count of indecent assault by a person in authority.
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