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Allegations of Abuse
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Tea Ropati - League Star accused
of rape |
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http://www.nzherald.co.nz/topic/story.cfm?c_id=1500916&objectid=10489572 NZ Herald
Tea Ropati leaves the court with
wife Vanessa after all charges against him were dismissed. There were emotional scenes in
court this afternoon as former Kiwi league player Tea Ropati was found not
guilty on six charges of sexual assault. Immediately after the final
verdict, there was pandemonium as Ropati's supporters erupted with a loud
shout of "yes" and some in the gallery sobbed. There were shouts of: "Show
us the justice, where is the justice?" In a statement following the
verdict Ropati said he was relieved. "I deeply regret that my
actions caused so much pain to all those who love me, my wife Vanessa, my
children, my mum and dad, brothers and sisters," Ropati said. "I never doubted that I would
be found innocent of all the charges. I have been honest and upfront at all
times with everyone concerned." It was standing room only in the
packed court room when the jury returned to give its verdicts. Ropati's wife, Vanessa, who had
given testimony on behalf of her husband during the trial, sat at the back
with a supporter on each side holding her hands. The verdicts, given one after the
other, were greeted initially with silence, although Mrs Ropati broke out in
a smile of relief after the first few of the not guilty announcements. One of his brothers, broadcaster
Peter Ropati, called out that the case had been "absolute rubbish" "This should never have
happened to us. Give us our time, give us our justice," Peter Ropati
said. Outside the court room, tensions
boiled over with one of Ropati's supporters slapping the face of a
photographer. Ropati showed little emotion while
the verdicts were read out, but at the end clasped his hands in an offer of
thanks to the jurors. The seven men and five women on
the jury, who retired at 1pm yesterday, delivered their verdicts on the
eighth day of the Auckland District Court trial, after almost 12 hours of
deliberations. The former Warriors rugby league
player had denied charges of attempted sexual violation, sexual violation,
rape, and sodomy. The Crown had alleged Ropati ended
up at the Whiskey Bar on Auckland's Ponsonby Rd, where he met the
complainant. During the trial jurors were shown
video footage of the pair in the bar. The woman had been drinking at the
bar with a group of friends. Ropati was 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. Ropati is due back in court
tomorrow to face a separate charge of driving under the influence of alcohol
on New Year's Day. In a written statement read out by
defence counsel Gary Gotlieb, Ropati said he knew he had to address ongoing
issues with alcohol. Faatea
(Tea) Ropati's rugby league career Born: September 7, 1965 Clubs: Newcastle Knights 1988, St
Helens 1989 to 1994, Warriors 1995 to 1999 Position: Centre International teams: Junior Kiwis,
Kiwis, Samoa Career highlights: British league
player of the year: 1992/1993. Played in the inaugural Auckland Warriors
match against Brisbane Broncos in March, 1995 and was player of the year. Ropati played in the centres
alongside Dean Bell and was known for his pace and finishing. He has since
fought in the charity boxing match Fight for Life in 2004 to raise money for
the Meningitis Trust. Ropati also worked with youth in Manukau on the At-Risk
Youth Manukau Project. - with NZPA |
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