EXCLUSIVE: Newtown bartender Andrew Hayler, who once mocked alleged rapists like Christian Porter, has been exposed as a predator himself. Hayler’s double life, involving the exploitation of 26 women through digitally altered photos and calling for others to rape them, reveals the unsettling presence of dangerous men in supposedly progressive spaces. Aisha Hussain reports.
In a shocking revelation, Newtown bartender Andrew Thomas Hayler, who once publicly ridiculed alleged sexual offenders, has been exposed as a dangerous predator himself. Hayler was once the manager of the well-known Manning Bar located inside the University of Sydney.
Hayler, 38, earlier this week pleaded guilty to 28 charges of using a carriage service to cause offence, involving 26 women.
His crimes, which spanned from July 2020 to August 2022, included uploading hundreds of digitally altered photos of women he knew to pornographic websites, often accompanied by graphic rape fantasies and identifying details such as their names and addresses.
During the very period Hayler was committing these vile acts, True News Weekly can exclusively reveal that the bartender was sharing satirical posts on his personal Facebook page mocking Liberal Party figures like Christian Porter and Andrew Laming, who faced allegations of sexual misconduct, as well as misogynists like Craig Kelly.
One post from March 2021 shared a satirical article from The Shovel, ridiculing the ABC’s handling of Porter’s defamation proceedings.
Another from May 2021 shared a Betoota Advocate article criticising politicians for earning more than high school principals despite actions that would get them sacked elsewhere.
Hayler’s public condemnation of these figures stands in stark contrast to his secret predatory behaviour. His actions highlight the danger posed by men who exploit their positions of trust, even within supposedly progressive circles.
Hayler’s victims included close friends, former housemates, colleagues, and family members. He took their social media photos, superimposed them onto explicit images, and shared them on an Instagram account as well as a pornographic website with over 300,000 members. These posts often included the women’s full names, occupations, and links to their social media profiles, inviting others to comment on how they would sexually assault the women.
For instance, in September 2020, he posted a photograph of a family member and three others in school uniforms alongside a caption reading: “It is up to us to turn them into our sluts, we need to force them to”.
In court, victims delivered powerful impact statements detailing the severe emotional and psychological harm caused by Hayler. Jess Stuart, a former colleague, spoke of the immense effort it takes to trust anyone after such a violation. Another victim, Ava Heinz, highlighted Hayler’s deep misogyny, questioning how he could hold such hatred for women while being surrounded by them.
A photograph from 2014 confirming Andrew Hayler was once the manager of Sydney University’s Manning Bar (Image: Facebook/Supplied)
One woman recounted the moment she discovered an online thread with her image and a rape fantasy heading. “In one night, you shattered my sense of safety and trust in this world,” she said, describing the lasting repercussions of Hayler’s actions. Another woman, who had been close enough to Hayler to host him at her wedding, described living in a state of shock since discovering his betrayal.
Hayler attempted to apologise, claiming he was living in a “weird messed-up fantasy” and not considering the consequences. He admitted targeting strong women he found sexually attractive, using this activity as an outlet for a dark part of his psyche he did not want to reveal publicly.
“I have really done a terrible thing and I am so very sorry to them, their families, friends and work colleagues,” Hayler told the court.
“It’s bigger than myself and them, it’s affected the community.”
Judge Jane Culver confirmed that Hayler would receive a custodial sentence, marking a grim end to a case that underscores the duplicity and danger posed by such predators. Hayler has been remanded in custody ahead of his formal sentencing on June 21.
This case serves as a stark reminder that vigilance is necessary, even in spaces we believe to be progressive and safe. Hayler’s actions have left a trail of devastation, shattering the lives of many women and highlighting the pervasive issue of misogyny and abuse in our society.
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