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peterellis Home / abuse allegations / Tea Ropati
/ Tea Ropati - League Star accused of rape -
Not Guilty - …..”a case that should
never have gone to trial” - Lawyer Page 1
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This page last updated July 11 2008
A woman at the bar told the
court she had come forward as a defence witness because she did not agree
with how Ropati had been portrayed as a "predator and sleazy" on
the night. She said she spoke with Ropati during the evening and found him
friendly. Dr Felicity Goodyear-Smith, a GP and associate
professor at Auckland University, contradicted evidence given by prosecution
witness Dr Ann Williamson about how the alleged victim received her injuries.
League players Stacey
Jones, Tawerau Nikau and Dean Lonergan, all testified to
Ropati’s good character. Mr Lonergan described his friend as
being of a ‘‘gentle nature’’ and ‘‘respectful’’ to women, who liked him. Tawera Nikau said Ropati was
"very polite" and "enjoys being out and having a good
time". Asked whether Ropati was disrespectful to women, Stacey
Jones responded: "No ... he's very respectful to women all the
time The Sunday Star Times summarised the week’s
evidence. 2008-0125 - Three News -
Ropati's wife tells court they argued on night of alleged rape 2008-0125 - Stuff - Ropati fought
with wife on night of alleged attack 2008-0125 - NZ Herald -
Argument drove Ropati out, wife tells court 2008-0126 - Otago Daily Times -
Heated argument: wife 2008-0125 - Newstalk ZB -
Ropati defence witness has hazy memory 2008-0126 - NZ Herald - Ropati's
wife: My husband's not sleazy 2008-0127 - Sunday News -
Ropati's lawyers win witness recall 2008-0127 - Sunday Star Times - Race
raised in Tea Ropati trial
Ropati was formally interviewed by
police nearly two months after the alleged offending took place. In his
written statement, which Detective Nicholas Poore read to
the court, Ropati said he and the complainant had kissed in the back room of
the bar. He says they were both "acting up, and taking the mickey out of
each other". He said they both agreed to leave on the understanding he
was taking her home. But he says she would not tell him where she lived, so
he pulled into a carpark at Victoria Park, where the alleged rape took place 2008-0124 - Newstalk ZB - Tea
Ropati's statement read in court 2008-0125 - NZ Herald -
Ropati's accuser had equiv of 14 to 16 drinks - scientist 2008-0125 - Stuff - Woman too drunk to
consent, Ropati trial told
An ESR scientist, Alan
Stolz, gave evidence that lab results estimate the complainant's
alcohol level at the height of her drinking was between 238 and 296
micrograms per 100 millilitres of blood.
He said with levels that high, he would expect the person to
experience serious intoxication. He says because the complainant was able to
enter her pin number to buy drinks, it could have disguised her level of
intoxication Forensic scientist Alan
Stowell told prosecutor Phil Hamlin alcohol had an anaesthetic
effect, and with a level of up to 296mg, the drinker "is going to be
affected to some degree". Ropati's lawyer, Gary Gotleib, asked Dr
Stowell if blackouts and the resulting memory loss were a sign of a drinking
problem. Australian forensic toxicologist
Olaf Drummer told the court he estimated the woman had consumed the
equivalent of 14 to 16 standard drinks in the course of the night 2008-0124 - Newstalk ZB - Tea
Ropati's statement read in court 2008-0125 - NZ Herald -
Ropati's accuser had equivalent of 14 to 16 drinks - scientist 2008-0125 - Stuff - Woman too drunk to
consent, Ropati trial told
A doctor who examined a woman
after she says she was raped says her injuries were consistent with some sort
of sexual violation. Dr Ann Williamson, who specialises
in sexual trauma victims, said the complainant was distressed and tearful
when she was examined some hours after the alleged incident. She had genital
injuries at three sites. 2008-0123 - Radio NZ - Doctor says
injuries consistent with violation 2008-0123 - NZ Herald -
Ropati's alleged rape victim in tears, distressed, court hears 2008-0124 - Otago Daily Times
- Doctor gives evidence
A female patron of Auckland's
Whiskey Bar have described feeling uneasy about the behaviour of Tea Ropati.
"I didn't like his vibe, so I went inside," one woman said of an
encounter with him. He looked "particularly scruffy" and was
wearing a beanie” The second woman said she felt
uneasy. "I felt like he was a little bit on the prowl ... just body
language, really." 2008-0123 - NZ Herald - League
star 'on the prowl' on night of alleged assault, says witness
Mr Ropati's lawyer Gary
Gotlieb suggested the complainant fabricated parts of her statement to
the police. He says the victim's first statement omitted a large amount of
detail which was conveniently added five weeks later. The woman, who became
increasingly agitated throughout cross-examination, says the reason for her
vague account was because she was still in shock. But Mr Gotlieb has
suggested she consented to sexual activity with Mr Ropati and later regretted
doing so. The complainant admitted
being drunk and on drugs at the time. She also told the court that she had
consumed a small line of cocaine. She also said there's no doubt in her mind
she was raped, despite the accused maintaining they did not have sex Mr Gotlieb asked the woman how
Ropati would have known that what was happening was not consensual. "I
was in no position to consent, I had had too much alcohol," she said 2008-0122 - Radio NZ - Rape
complainant testifies against sports star 2008-0122 - Radio NZ - Rape
complainant testifies against sports star 2008-0122 - Radio NZ -
Complainant admits being drunk and on drugs 2008-0122 - Radio NZ - Claim
complainant fabricated parts of statement 2008-0122 -- Yahoo Xtra - Tea
Ropati not "honourable" - alleged rape victim 2008-0122 - Radio NZ -
Complainant says she was in no fit state 2008-0123 - Otago Daily Times
- Level of intoxication centre of rape case
The complainant, a public relations
account manager, says she remembers little of her ordeal. She said she was
heavily intoxicated when she met Mr Ropati at a bar in Ponsonby. She says she
remembers flirting with him but nothing more, despite security footage
showing them engaging in sexual activity. She said although she has 2008-0121 - Radio NZ - Former
rugby league player in court 2008-0121 - Daily
Telegraph - Footballer Tea Ropati accused of rape 2008-0121 - Stuff - Ex-Kiwi player
pleads not guilty to rape 2008-0122 - NZ Herald - League
star: Sex was consensual
Surveillance footage of the pair
at a Ponsonby bar was shown in court. It showed the complainant at one point
falling asleep on a couch, as Ropati continued to touch her. Ropati's lawyer
Gary Gotlieb is arguing that the complainant was a willing participant and
had taken drugs and alcohol 2008-0122 - Newstalk ZB -
Further video evidence in Ropati trial
Crown prosecutor Philip
Hamlin alleges Ropati took advantage of a very drunk woman by
sexually violating her, at a a Ponsonby bar and in his car. He said Ropati
was "on the prowl" when he arrived at the bar, and was "very
active" in his flirting with the woman. The rape is alleged to have
happened in the Victoria Park car park in the central city, the other
offences at the bar. The Crown argues
that the fact the woman was drunk and had taken drugs means she was incapable
of consent. Defence Counsel Gary
Gotlieb says the complainant had been involved in a cocaine, marijuana
and drinking binge and was very much a willing participant. He told the jury
they must decide whether his client is a predator or merely a creature of
circumstances. Ropati says he fooled around with the complainant but it was
consensual and they did not have sex. "What the defence is saying is how
could Mr Ropati be aware that she...buying her own drinks, taking her own
drugs, how could he be aware of what her state was?" 2008-0121 - Newstalk ZB - Lawyer
says Ropati "not a predator" 2008-0121 - Three News - Tea
Ropati pleads not guilty to rape 2008-0121 - One News - Ropati
defends sex charges 2008-0121 - NZ Herald - League
star's alleged sex attack victim 'willing' 2008-0122 - Radio NZ - Crown
claims Ropati on prowl
The rugby league player facing sex
charges has been identified as Tea Ropati. He pleaded not guilty
to six charges, including rape and unlawful sexual connection at Auckland
District Court. The trial is before Judge Phil Gittos; Defence counsel
Gary
Gotlieb and Crown prosecutor Philip Hamlin. Ropati was
supported in court by three of his brothers, who are also prominent in rugby
league circles. One of them, John Ropati, is acting as junior defence counsel 2008-0121 - Newstalk ZB - Tea
Ropati faces sex charges 2008-0122 - Otago Daily Times -
Ropati denies sex charges
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