UFC star Israel Adesanya issues partial apology after posting controversial courthouse photos on Instagram

Israel Adesanya's minute-long social media post includes images of him in a car, walking to court, inside the courtroom and leaving again. Photo / Instagram

UFC star Israel Adesanya has issued an apology for breaking court rules this week by posting photos from inside an Auckland District Courtroom on to his social media account.

The statement, however, does not mention his posting a photo of the woman who prosecuted his drink-driving case alongside demeaning rap lyrics. That photo was taken just outside the courthouse so is not covered by court protocol.

“After a hearing in the Auckland District Court on January 10, 2024, several images photographed from inside the Court were posted to my Instagram account,” Adesanya said in a statement issued today through his management company. “I was unaware that it was improper and against Court rules to publish those pictures captured inside the Court without the Court’s permission.

“I apologise that these images were published to my Instagram account and I immediately took action to remove such photos from my account once these facts were drawn to my attention. One of the images in question was accompanied by the following statement: ‘I’m grateful that the judge used critical thinking and compassion on this one.’ I reiterate my thoughts in this statement and again thank His Honour.”

Police confirmed to the Herald yesterday they were aware of the incident “and will liaise with the Court, which is responsible for security, about any next steps”. Adesanya declined through his lawyer yesterday to comment.

The posts - on his public Instagram account, followed by 8.5 million people - went up on Wednesday after he was granted a discharge without conviction for drink driving after arguing it would cripple his career.

The videos and photos include images of Adesanya in a car, walking to court, inside the courtroom and leaving again - with captions, music and emojis added.

A short clip of a Big Sean song was chosen for a section of the post showing video of media photographers and the still photo of the prosecutor standing outside the courthouse. The prosecutor had opposed his application for a discharge without conviction.

“You little stupid a** bitch, I ain’t f***in’ with you,” the rap lyrics began in the post, cutting off abruptly after then next line: “You little, you little dumb ...”

UFC star Israel Adesanya arrives at Auckland District Court with lawyer Karl Trotter to face sentencing for drink driving. Photo / Jason Oxenham

The courtroom photos and footage from outside the courthouse - posted as an Instagram Story, which is designed to disappear after 24 hours - were taken down soon after the Herald sought comment from Adesanya’s lawyer.

Adesanya’s management firm did not immediately respond to the Herald’s request for comment today regarding the prosecutor photo.

The former two-time middleweight champion, who lives in the Auckland suburb of Remuera, first appeared in the Auckland District Court in September, two weeks after his high-profile Sydney bout with American fighter Sean Strickland. He pleaded guilty immediately to having been over the legal limit on the night of August 19, when he was stopped at a checkpoint in Auckland Central.

He returned to court this week for what would have been a sentencing hearing had Judge Peter Winter not granted him a discharge without conviction.

Defence lawyer Karl Trotter noted during the hearing that, while Adesanya admits he is getting towards the “tail end” of his fighting career, his client is still keeping in top shape and would like to fight in Canada sometime this year if allowed to by the court. A conviction, he argued, would make travelling to Canada much more difficult.

While the defence lawyer declined to cite specific dollar amounts in open court, he also indicated that his client stood to lose somewhere in the ballpark of hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of endorsement deals if convicted.

Judge Winter commended Adesanya for his earliest possible guilty plea and for not trying to avoid accountability to his fans by seeking name suppression. He also cited the sportsman’s sterling career representing New Zealand and his lack of a criminal record, although Winter did acknowledge Adesanya previously received another discharge without conviction for driving while disqualified.

Adesanya put his hand over his heart and loudly thanked the judge as the hearing ended.

He repeated the praise on social media, but it was superimposed over a photo from inside the courtroom before the judge took the bench showing the court registrar’s face and the back of the police prosecutor’s head. Three other photos, appearing to have been taken from the vantage point of the courtroom gallery, showed Adesanya leaving the dock.

Several media outlets, including NZME, were granted permission by the judge to take photos and video of yesterday’s hearing.

Craig Kapitan is an Auckland-based journalist covering courts and justice. He joined the Herald in 2021 and has reported on courts since 2002 in three newsrooms in the US and New Zealand.