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Allegations
of Abuse in NZ |
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Tea Ropati -
League Star accused of rape |
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Sunday
Star Times The lawyer for a former rugby league star charged
with sexually violating and raping a woman is furious police refused to back
his bid for his client's name to remain secret. It is the latest in a string of cases where sporting
celebrities have been given secrecy by the courts. Gary Gotlieb, also the president of the Auckland
District Law Society, railed against police when his client first appeared in
the Auckland District Court on Tuesday. The Sunday Star-Times, which broke the story last
week, was the only media in court for the former star's first appearance. Gotlieb reacted angrily when Crown prosecutor Deb
Bell said name suppression was opposed, turning to two detectives in the
public gallery and accusing them of going back on an earlier promise not to
oppose suppression. "I'm just blown away. Police give you an
undertaking ... it's certainly the last time I'm going to co-operate with the
police," he said. Gotlieb said his client was a well known
personality, the story would go international and it was not fair for family
to find out through the media. Gotlieb also said bail conditions sought by the
Crown, including a curfew and strict reporting clauses, were a "nonsense".
His client had not appeared before the courts before. Judge Simon Lockhart granted temporary name
suppression for 48 hours and said a lot of people could be contacted during
that time. As a condition of bail, he ordered the accused to
stay away from the Whiskey Bar in Ponsonby Rd, Auckland. On Thursday,
suppression was continued until Tuesday when a half-day hearing will decide
if his name will remain secret. |
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