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Allegations of Abuse
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Tea Ropati - League Star accused
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http://www.nzherald.co.nz/topic/story.cfm?c_id=1500916&objectid=10488942 NZ Herald
Vanessa Ropati (left) leaves the
Auckland District Court with a friend where she had been supporting her
husband, former Warriors player and rugby league international Tea Ropati. The first time alleged rapist Tea
Ropati's wife heard of sex charges against her husband was the day he called
her from Auckland Central police station, a District Court jury heard
yesterday. Vanessa Ropati said her initial
reaction was to consider the phone call - which came weeks after the alleged
offences happened - as a joke typical of Ropati's sense of humour. Mrs Ropati told defence lawyer
Gary Gotleib the couple had argued - and Ropati had left the house - in the
hours before he allegedly sexually violated and raped a 36-year-old woman. The couple - who each have
children from previous relationships - had "a bit of a disagreement over
parenting issues" on the evening of June 14, 2006, she said. "It was a heated argument,
where neither of us was going to back down." Ropati has three sons, Mrs Ropati
a 9-year-old son. The couple also have an infant daughter together, the court
was told. They had shared a bottle of wine
that evening, and Ropati "might" have had a couple of beers, Mrs
Ropati said. Ropati had opened a second bottle
of wine, but she did not have any, the court heard. She later told crown prosecutor
Phil Hamlin she understood Ropati had left the house to meet a friend and
"to get away from the argument, probably". The Crown alleges Ropati ended up
at the Whiskey Bar on Auckland's Ponsonby Rd, where he met the complainant. The woman had been drinking at the
bar with a group of friends. Ropati is alleged to have
attempted to sexually violate the woman in a back room of the bar, then
allegedly raped and sexually violated her at nearby Victoria Park. He is denying a total of six
charges. Mrs Ropati said she first met her
husband 12 years ago, but it was not until eight years later that the couple
embarked on "a wonderful romance". The couple had married on
Valentine's Day, 2006, four months to the day before the June 14 row, the
court heard. Mrs Ropati said she found it
"quite astounding" the way her husband had been portrayed as sleazy
in the media over the past week. She described him as having
"an incredible ability ... to take the piss", and said he could
often be "more one of the girls than one of the boys". A woman who was at the Whiskey Bar
the night of the alleged incident gave defence evidence yesterday. She said she had come forward to
refute allegations made in the trial that Ropati was being
"sleazy". The woman - who was granted name
suppression - said she had spoken with Ropati more than once that night, and
found him friendly. Mr Hamlin - in cross-examination -
played bar security footage showing a woman he said could be the witness
talking with Ropati that evening. He also played footage of the bar
patron being followed into the female toilets by Ropati. The woman told the court she could
not recall the incident. Former league stars Dean Lonergan
and Tawera Nikau were among witnesses to give character evidence for Ropati. Mr Lonergan described his friend
of 23 years as being of a "gentle nature" and
"respectful" to women, who liked him. Ropati had appeared in
Lonergan-organised Fight for Life charity events, but often needed to be
"worked up" to fight, Mr Lonergan said. Tawera Nikau - who played rugby
league with, and against, Ropati in New Zealand, Australia and Britain - said
he "wholeheartedly" rejected any suggestion Ropati was sleazy or
predatory around women. He said Ropati was a good-looking man who was often
approached by women. The defence case is expected to
continue from noon on Tuesday.
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