Barbiegate: Brown, Ojo found guilty
Thu, 10 Jul 2008 16:47
Pleasure palace: The infamous Auckland Hilton Hotel
England duo Mike Brown and Topsy Ojo were fined and reprimanded after being found guilty of misconduct following a Rugby Football Union (RFU) report into the lurid allegations that marred the recent tour to New Zealand.
Brown was fined £1,000 (ZAR15,200) for "staying out all night during an England rugby tour" and missing a physiotherapist appointment, while Ojo was hit with a £500 (ZAR7,600) fine, also for staying out all night.
The incident happened when several England players embarked on a drinking session at an Auckland nightclub, after losing the first Test on June 14, which ended with women returning to the team hotel and an allegation of serious sexual assault.
All four deny any criminal wrong-doing and no formal complaint was made to New Zealand police.
The report, carried out by RFU disciplinary officer Jeff Blackett, found that David Strettle and Danny Care were found not guilty of misconduct.
Blackett said: "All the players I have interviewed vehemently deny any criminal wrongdoing and I have seen or heard no evidence which has been tested to gainsay those denials."
Explaining the sequence of events that evening, Blackett said: "Mike Brown and Topsy Ojo [together and with some other players] visited a number of bars in the early morning after the first Test match.
"They met the complainant and she eventually accompanied them back to the team hotel some time after 07.00 on Sunday morning. She went to Brown's room and he was there alone with her.
"At about 08.35 Brown left the room and attended a physiotherapist appointment and while he was there, Topsy Ojo (who had gone to the room to ensure Brown went to the see the physiotherapist) was in the room alone with the complainant.
"Danny Care had returned to the hotel at sometime between 01.30 and 03.00.
"David Strettle had returned to the hotel at sometime between 03.30 and 05.00.
"Care and Strettle popped their heads round the unlocked interconnecting door of the room at about 08.55 and saw Ojo with the complainant. They were there for no more than a few seconds.
"Brown admitted that he was a bit tipsy while in the bars, although in control. He also accepts he was 20 minutes late for his physiotherapist appointment in the morning.
"All of the other players admit modest, but not excessive, alcohol consumption and they all attended their morning physiotherapist appointments on time.
"They believed that they could relax a little more than normal because the day following the Test match was a travelling day."
Despite being found not guilty, Blackett warned Strettle "to be careful in future not to put himself in any compromising situations which may lead to him bringing the game into disrepute" according to bbc.co.uk.
"Strettle, like Danny Care, only became involved in this investigation because he popped his head round an unlocked interconnected door to remind Mike Brown that it was time to leave for the rehabilitation session.
"He saw Topsy Ojo in Mike Brown's room and he effectively came forward as a witness to support Mike Brown and Topsy Ojo against serious allegations," Blackett told bbc.co.uk.
The incident has already prompted the RFU to change the England team's touring policy, and a new code of conduct has since been established to prevent similar problems in the future.
One specific rule of the new code of conduct stipulates that England players may not bring females back to their hotel rooms.
And in his report Blackett made further recommendations, adding: "This is most important in relation to very young players who do not yet have the life skills to cope with sudden stardom."
In closing, Blackett suggested that most of the damage to the image of England rugby was done by the sensationalist way it was reported in the media, rather than the actions of the players.
"It is the irresponsible reporting which has done more to damage the image of England rugby rather than any actual events themselves, and I hope that those responsible will redress the balance in reporting these findings," he said.
AFP
