Carl Hayman played 45 tests for the All Blacks. Photo: Photosport
A former top sports star who threatened to post a woman's naked photos online and bombarded her with a series of nude images can now be named as ex-All Black prop Carl Hayman.
Hayman, whose name suppression lapsed today, was sentenced last month at a hearing where his abiding struggle with alcoholism, and the possible link that "demon" has to his rugby career, were discussed.
It was also found that due to his dementia diagnosis, there was a reduced moral culpability in his offending.
But the victim in the matter, who spoke to NZME following the sentencing, said it was about time Hayman dealt with his issues constructively.
"Whilst Carl wasn't given a prison sentence, I hope this intensive supervision is adhered to and helps Carl address his behaviour," she said.
"It's an opportunity to use the probation supervision to his advantage to stop drinking forever and learn how to manage his anger and work through his abusive behaviour."
At the sentencing in New Plymouth District Court, Hayman, who also suffers from the degenerative brain condition chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), was ordered to complete 18 months of intensive supervision and to pay the victim $3000 in emotional harm reparation.
He had pleaded guilty to three representative charges of posting an intimate visual recording without her consent.
Judge Tony Greig described the offending as psychological abuse and told Hayman: "I've marked the record with 'final warning'.
"The starting point for this is prison and you need to be very clear that if this happens again, that's where the end point will be as well."
Defence lawyer Nathan Bourke said Hayman, by his admission, has had a long struggle with alcoholism.
"He has advised he continues to engage with AA but by no means am I suggesting that that demon has been beaten."
Bourke said there was an underlying anger in Hayman's offending, and he had acknowledged the messages he sent the victim were "mean".
Judge Greig said it was clear Hayman had issues that probation could assist him with.
"You are an alcoholic and you have a diagnosis of dementia, that is at least in part caused by the constant concussions you received when you were playing rugby at the highest level.
"What isn't covered [in an advice to court report] is the role that alcohol abuse played in your mental state, your dementia.
"You played rugby during an era of heavy drinking. I am aware that some of the teams you played for had a particularly heavy drinking culture. And heavy drinking after a concussion or after a head knock will make it worse."
Hayman played 45 tests for the All Blacks before abruptly ending his New Zealand rugby career after the 2007 World Cup.
In total, he played more than 300 professional games for Otago, the Highlanders, Newcastle and Toulon, where he won three European titles.
'Reduced moral culpability'
When sentencing Hayman, Judge Greig took a starting point of between four and six months imprisonment, leaving him to consider home detention before landing on intensive supervision.
"There is no reason why you should be punished harder than anyone else.
"And due to the issues I do accept you have with your dementia, there is, as Mr Bourke has pointed out, a reduced moral culpability."
The judge said a restorative justice conference between Hayman and the victim did not go ahead, despite his willingness to attend. He instead wrote her an apology letter.
However, a pre-sentence report, ordered to inform the sentencing, was not completed because Hayman had failed to contact probation services, which prepares the report.
Judge Greig said Hayman had "thumbed his nose" at the process.
Hayman made a bid for permanent name suppression at the hearing with submissions being made around the effect publication of his name would have on his mental state and his business.
But the judge found the points raised were a natural consequence of offending and there were no grounds for such an order.
However, he extended the interim suppression order until 5pm today to allow Hayman to tend to particular personal matters.
'Abuse of any kind isn't okay'
Following the sentence, the victim, who was granted name suppression, told NZME she hoped the outcome empowered victims of abuse to come forward and have faith in the justice system.
"It's not okay and it needs to be called out. The judge made it clear that just because Carl was known, that this does not allow for name suppression."
She said the psychological abuse had not just affected her.
"My family has had to deal with some very unpleasant behaviour and his family will have to deal with the embarrassment and shame. It reaches far beyond just the victim - friends and family members are also drawn into the abuse and public resources like police and charities."
The woman believed there was a systemic issue with men in power thinking they could get away with abuse.
"Hopefully this sentence shows young people who look up to our stars, that abuse of any kind isn't okay and will not be tolerated."
She has described Hayman's abuse as relentless and hard to ignore. As a result, she has had to seek therapy and take anti-anxiety medication.
The woman opposed his application for permanent name suppression, asking what message would that send others if he was not named for his "abhorrent violence towards a woman".
"Why would someone who is clearly a danger to a woman ... be protected? He will do it again."
Incessant messages
The offending Hayman was sentenced on dates back to May when, on two occasions, he sent the victim several naked photos of herself that she had previously shared with him.
He told her to remember he had a lot of photos, that they were "worth a share", and threatened to post them to her social media accounts.
She asked him to stop and delete the images but he sent several more photos of her instead.
One of the photos was sent with the message: "Shame you are a f***wit with nice t***".
The messaging continued between June 5 and June 8 with Hayman sending photos on at least two more occasions.
The victim asked him again to delete the images and said what he was doing was inappropriate. He responded that she should not have shared the photos with him.
Earlier brushes with the law
This court appearance was not Hayman's first.
He was convicted of drink-driving after being caught behind the wheel more than four times the legal alcohol limit in October 2022.
Police stopped him while driving in Ōpunake, South Taranaki, and an evidential breath test revealed a reading of 1016 micrograms of alcohol per litre of breath. The legal limit is 250mcg.
He told police that at the time he was not "in a good place", suffering early onset dementia, depression and was grieving the recent loss of his mother.
Hayman was fined $1000 and had an interlock disqualification imposed.
In an earlier brush with the law, he landed a four-month suspended prison sentence after being convicted of domestic assault in France in 2019.
French media reported Hayman admitted to having a serious problem with alcohol at the end of his rugby career but later became a "teetotal".
In more recent times, Hayman, who was once professional rugby's highest-paid player, has spoken publicly about having dementia.
He released a book earlier this year detailing his rugby career and how his life has unravelled "in nightmarish fashion" since the diagnosis.
After retiring from rugby, Hayman returned to his hometown of Taranaki and purchased the Chaddy's Charter business in 2020.
* This story originally appeared in the New Zealand Herald.