James Hayward: Letter MP wrote to his wife allegedly admitting to sexually abusing a child is revealed in court

A letter written by a Western Australian MP on trial for child sexual abuse admitting alleged crimes against his wife has been read in court.

James Dorrin Hayward has pleaded not guilty to four charges related to the alleged abuse of an eight-year-old girl for two years.

The 53-year-old allegedly ordered the girl to touch him indecently three times and showed her how to search for pornography on the Internet.

It was said during the trial at the Perth court that Hayward, a former church chaplain, had emailed his wife a letter a week after a police complaint was lodged against him.

Prosecutor Sean Stocks said in his opening statement to the jury on Monday that it was a suicide note, and on Tuesday it was read to the court by a police officer who gave evidence.

“I’m sorry I can’t talk to you about this in person,” Hayward wrote.

“Leaving you… has been the most regrettable decision of my life.”

He said he believed his decision to end his life would benefit and protect his family.

“In the next few days I expect to be charged with child molestation in relation to (a child), which I did,” he said.

“I know you warned me repeatedly, it’s so unpleasant.”

He said the allegations would draw intense criticism from the media and public for his stance, while thanking and praising his wife for their 20-year relationship.

“At least you’ll be spared the harassment this way,” he said.

“I’m so sorry I let you down and I hope you’ll forgive me at some point….

‘I love you dearly.’

The court was told that Hayward’s wife called the police after receiving the note, out of concern for her husband.

Hayward’s attorney Tom Percy KC previously said Hayward’s email was “utterly silly” and a “misguided gesture,” written during a stressful time in his life, and not an admission of guilt.

He said it was an irrational decision and that his client was under tremendous financial strain following the bankruptcy of a company that left him with hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt.

“Combined with the ongoing financial disaster surrounding him, he felt he didn’t have the strength to deal with that fallout,” Mr Percy said.

Hayward resigned from the WA Nationals after charges were filed in 2021 and continues to sit in the state’s House of Lords as an independent MP.

The mother of the alleged victim was called back to the witness stand earlier on Tuesday after completing her testimony amid allegations she had withheld information.

The woman initially denied communicating with Hayward about the allegations before going to the police.

She later admitted under oath that she had responded to messages from Hayward before filing a complaint.

“I did answer: ‘leave me and my family alone’,” the woman said when asked what she had said.

The court was told that Hayward sent another Snapchat message saying, “What’s going on?”

The woman said she responded with “do you know what you did” before deleting the app from her cell phone.

Mr Percy accused the woman of withholding evidence and hiding communications from police, prosecutors and the jury.

He also said the woman had communicated with Hayward the day before, shortly after learning of the alleged abuse.

Mr Percy also claimed that the woman told Hayward about the allegations against him.

“You haven’t told us the whole truth,” Mr. Percy said, repeating the accusations against her several times.

“You hid it from the police and to make sure they wouldn’t find out, you deleted the app.”

The woman denied Mr Percy’s allegations, but agreed that the pair had been texting almost daily before the allegations were made.

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