Victims Horrified as Wellington Rugby Player Gets off Unpunished

Publish Date
Tuesday, 27 September 2016, 9:40AM
Getty Images

Getty Images

Wellington Rugby has proclaimed it doesn't support violence in any form after one of its contracted players was discharged without conviction for the assault of four people, including two women.

Losi Filipo, 18, was charged with the assault of Greg Morgan, 21, and his friends, Hayden Williams, 22, Kelsey Odell, 22, and Olivia Samuels, 22, in central Wellington in October last year.

News of Filipo's dismissal horrified the victims and their families who say he wasn't held accountable for his actions, with his rugby career given priority over the safety of the general public.

Wellington Rugby said they were "extremely disappointed" with Filipo's actions, but emphasised it was the judicial system - not them - that dealt with the case.

"The recent news story about Wellington-contracted Under 19s player Losi Filipo has created an understandable reaction among our fanbase and the wider public," the organisation said in a statement.

"Wellington Rugby would like to state clearly our organisation does not support violence in any form.

"Wellington Rugby provided generic information to Filipo's lawyer about the effects of a conviction on a professional rugby player, but was not involved in the court proceedings and has not been privy to the full details of the case."

Players' Association boss Rob Nichol said it's not exclusive to rugby where people get an opportunity for discharge from conviction.

"Taken out of a rugby context, it could be a young lawyer. Their ability to finish their qualification and they stuff up in some way. Whether it's similar to this or something else. You can take it to other careers around driving and often you'll find drivers, who've suffered a drink-driving conviction sometimes there is an opportunity for discharge because of the impact it would have on them effectively losing their jobs," he told Newstalk ZB's Larry Williams.

"This is society who have provided this opportunity and we put people called judges in place to exercise their discretion on when it's applied. People are right to say 'Wellington Rugby are going to have to convince me so that I want to stay with them'.

"I tell you what. No one's got more convincing to do more than Losi himself. He's got a lot of work to do to restore some faith and given the opportunity it doesn't matter whether it's in rugby or any other career he wishes to pursue. He's been let off the hook, he's been given an opportunity, let's hope he takes it."

 

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