Delasau cautioned after punch-up
Wed, 18 Jun 2008 11:50
Fijian wing Vilimoni Delasau has escaped with a caution after pleading guilty to assaulting a rugby fan he thought was pick-pocketing him after last weekend's loss to New Zealand Maori.
The Fiji Sun newspaper reported that Delasau appeared before Nadi magistrate Shafiullah Khan and pleaded guilty to assault.
The court was told that 17-year-old fan Jeremaia Mudunaivalu wanted to have his photo taken with Delasau but got punched instead.
Delasau, who represented himself, told the court he assumed the fan had tried to pick his pocket.
He was sorry for his actions and had sought forgiveness from the complainant and also paid him $70 as compensation.
Mudunaivalu said he had forgiven Delasau and the Fi$70 was sufficient compensation.
The magistrate accepted the explanation from both sides and described it as a misunderstanding.
But he warned Delasau that he should show more patience and that he was a role model for youths.
The Fiji Rugby Union (FRU) will now decide whether to discipline Delasau for breaching the national team's code of conduct.
He had unexpectedly pulled out of Fiji's Japan Leg of the Pacific Nations Cup at the last minute because of his court appearance.
Delasau is said to be due to return to France as Clermont Auvergne are in the Top 14 semifinals. Fiji, meanwhile, are in Japan.
