Dismay in league circles at sex charges against ex-Kiwi

Cameras zoom in on the car carrying a former league star outside the Auckland District Court. Picture / Paul Estcourt

Leading figures in the rugby league community are struggling to come to terms with charges of sexual violation and rape laid against a former international.

"I know who it is, I know the family. I am shell-shocked, and I don't believe it," New Zealand Rugby League chief executive Selwyn Pearson said yesterday.

But Mr Pearson yesterday defended his sport, which has been criticised in recent years for behaviour labelled socially unacceptable.

"I love rugby league and what it represents."

It was a shame when behaviour abhorrent to the community became a league story.

The identity of the former test star - who faces three sexual violation charges including counts of rape and sodomy - will remain secret until at least Tuesday, when a special court sitting is scheduled.

The man made a brief appearance, his second, in the Auckland District Court yesterday.

The alleged offences involve one complainant on June 15.

The man entered no plea, and was remanded on bail to a pre-depositions hearing on September 11.

Name suppression was originally to lapse today, but in court yesterday the man's lawyer, Gary Gotlieb, said there were "pretty compelling reasons" to have the order maintained.

Mr Gotlieb said he would call at least one witness, "maybe two", to argue for continued suppression.

The matter was remanded to a half-day hearing on Tuesday.

Former Kiwis coach Graham Lowe said his first reaction to the charges was sadness.

"I just think that it highlights that society, in whatever form it is, can bring out the best and the worst in us."

But he did not believe the allegations would tarnish the game in the long term, because the accused was no longer playing.

"It's the sort of thing you can't hold the game accountable for.

"While it reflects poorly on people in the game, you can't, ultimately, hold people in the game responsible."

Peter "Mad Butcher" Leitch said it was "very, very important" that the public remember the charges were as yet unproven

"[But] you never like hearing anything like that [the allegations] when you love the game of rugby league."

Mr Leitch said he did not know the man's name, "and I don't want to know".

A newspaper claimed at the weekend that the complainant believed she had been drugged and raped by the sportsman, and had a DNA test the day after the alleged incident.

But Crown prosecutor Debra Bell said yesterday that no drugging-related (stupefaction) charges would be laid.

Police refused to comment on the matter yesterday.