WARNING: Graphic content

Three men have been jailed for the “degrading and heinous” rape of three “terrified” teenagers during a Newcastle dollar party, with a judge describing them as acting with a “pack mentality”.

Maurice Hawell, 30, Andrew David, 30, and Marius Hawell, 23, were sentenced at Downing Center District Court on Friday morning after being found guilty of sexually assaulting the three women at an Airbnb rented during a dollar weekend in February 2022 to celebrate Maurice’s upcoming wedding.

The rented house became the scene of a horrific nightmare for two friends, 18, and a 19-year-old girl, who were gang-raped by men over two nights.

Brothers Howell and David were found guilty in July of engaging in a joint criminal enterprise to sexually assault women after a weeks-long trial in the NSW District Court.

Judge Gina O’Rourke described their actions as “degrading and despicable” and said they treated a victim “as if she were an object to be sexually abused”.

The court heard that female family members and loved ones provided character references in support of all three offenders.

Maurice Howell’s wife said that despite his infidelity that weekend, she did not believe he was capable of the “monstrous” rapes of three women.

David’s fiancee and sister wrote letters talking about his “deep respect for women” and “always treats women with dignity”, the court was told.

And Judge O’Rourke said their actions that weekend were in “stark contrast to how their mothers, wives, girlfriends and sisters described them”.

Judge O’Rourke said there was evidence they were all: “highly educated, intelligent, successful young men from loving, Christian families who treat their own mothers, sisters, female partners with respect and love”.

“Yet this weekend they are able in a pack mentality to treat three young women in this cold, callous, degrading and murderous way,” she said.

“And attending breakfast every morning after which the group of men attending this dollar’s party bragged about having sex with the women attending the apartment.”

The court was previously told that traumatic gang rapes had a devastating impact on teenage victims.

The 19-year-old victim explained that she was “terrified to face the world” after being sexually assaulted by Maurice and David while Marius looked on.

She told the court she was “left feeling vulnerable”, “experienced panic attacks” and “couldn’t leave my house alone” in the months that followed.

“I felt like I was losing myself deeply,” the teenager explained in an emotional statement.

The jury was told that Maurice used a fake name when he lured the woman back to the Airbnb with the promise of drinks beforehand.

The 19-year-old texted a friend that she was “kidnapped” and called for “help” as she was led upstairs, the court was told.

Instead of getting her to drink, Maurice led her to a bedroom and asked her to have a threesome with him and David.

She refused but said she did not stop Maurice from raping her as David knelt on her shoulders and forced his penis into her mouth.

The court was told that Marius entered the room and turned on his phone’s flashlight as Maurice and David changed positions.

The 19-year-old victim said she had put her trousers back up in her rush to leave the flat afterwards and was “crying”.

She told the court she blamed herself for the “traumatic” gang rape and spent countless sleepless nights thinking about what she could have done differently to prevent it.

One of two 18-year-old women who was gang-raped by men the previous night revealed the attack had a “massive emotional impact” on every aspect of her life.

“This event made me lose faith in the people around me,” she said in a statement.

“I couldn’t trust any man… it’s unfair that I have to trust people again.”

During the trial, jurors heard that Maurice tried to sexually touch one of the 18-year-olds near her groin while at the Airbnb on Friday night.

“I don’t want that,” she recalled telling the groom-to-be.

The two 18-year-olds then went into a bedroom to retrieve their phones as they prepared to leave, but the light was turned off and they were targeted with beds and sexually assaulted.

One of the victims described being raped by a man she could not see, while another man knelt on her arms and stuck his penis in her mouth.

At the same time, the other 18-year-old girl said she was restrained and sexually assaulted.

Although none of the teenagers could see their attackers, jurors determined that David, Maurice and Marius were responsible for all three gang rapes.

Maurice Howell was sentenced to a maximum of 14 years, with a non-parole period of eight years and six months.

He will be eligible for release in January 2033.

Marius Howell was sentenced to nine years in prison, with a non-parole period of five years and five months.

David was sentenced to 13 years in prison and will be eligible for parole after serving seven years and nine months in April 2032.

The men continue to maintain their innocence and have shown no remorse for their victims.

Maurice and David claim that the sexual activity was consensual, while Marius claims that he did not engage in any sexual acts during the Dollar Weekend.

All three men have already indicated they plan to appeal their convictions.