KEY POINTS:
The woman at the centre of sex allegations against four England rugby players will not break her silence, even though a Rugby Football Union (RFU) inquiry was critical yesterday of her approach.
England rugby players Mike Brown and Topsy Ojo have been found guilty of misconduct and fined by the English union's disciplinary officer, Judge Jeff Blackett, for their behaviour on last month's tour.
But Judge Blackett criticised the lack of evidence provided by the woman involved.
He was also critical of Chapman Tripp, the firm of lawyers in Auckland representing the woman, whose letter to the RFU was leaked to media outlets in New Zealand.
Glenda Hughes, a spokeswoman for the woman, said her client was willing to leave the public to make up their own minds as to what took place.
"She will not be making herself available. She won't be making any comment going forward," Ms Hughes said. "Her privacy is her No 1 priority, and she understands if she says anything that privacy is at risk."
In his report Judge Blackett said: "Chapman Tripp's letter has also constrained the way in which I have been able to conclude this inquiry, and that is particularly unsatisfactory.
"Without any credible and tested evidence of serious wrongdoing, it is impossible to gainsay the players' own accounts of what occurred."
The woman was invited to the Hilton Hotel in Auckland early on June 15 by an England rugby player following the defeat of his team at the hands of the All Blacks.
In the letter signed by Chapman Tripp partner Jack Hodder to Judge Blackett, the woman said she was sexually violated by four players.
The injuries she received caused the medical professionals treating her to refer her to police.
The letter said the woman would not appear before the English disciplinary committee, would not lay a formal complaint with New Zealand police and had not talked to news media about the allegations because she wanted to maintain her privacy.
Yesterday, Ms Hughes said the letter was sent to the media because its intent was to clear up misconceptions about the incident, and those misconceptions were in the media.
As a former police officer, she understood that would pose difficulties for the investigation, because when one party wanted privacy it was hard to test the evidence.
Ojo and Brown were named in a tabloid newspaper, along with Danny Care and David Strettle, as having been involved in a drinking session that ended with women returning to the team hotel and allegations of sexual assault.
All four players strenuously denied any criminal wrongdoing and no formal complaint was lodged with police.
In summary, Judge Blackett said there was no credible and tested evidence of serious wrongdoing, but management needed to keep players on a "tighter rein" when on England duty.
"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," he said in his report.
Ojo admitted that he had stayed out until 7am following a night out after England's first-test defeat on June 14, and was reprimanded and fined 500 ($1330).
Brown was reprimanded and fined 1000 for "staying out all night and missing a rehabilitation appointment with the physiotherapist".
No action was taken against Strettle, who was subject of a lurid tabloid story, although he was reminded about the danger of putting himself in compromising situations. Care was found not guilty of misconduct.
- NZPA
