Robin Brooke reaches settlement with teenager

Robin Brooke. Photo / Janna Dixon

Former All Black lock Robin Brooke and a teenager he allegedly assaulted after groping a 15-year-old Auckland girl in Fiji have reached a settlement.

Brooke apologised to the girl on national TV on Tuesday and said he accepted her version of events.

The girl said Brooke had twice grabbed her backside while she was pool-side at a resort at Denarau, Fiji, on New Year's Eve.

Her 17-year-old Australian friend, Jordan Whittaker, said when he tried to intervene Brooke grabbed his throat and threatened him.

Malcolm Boyle, a spokesman for Brooke and the Whittaker family, said Brooke had apologised and the family accepted the apology.

All others terms of the settlement were confidential. The agreement had resolved all issues between them, he said.

They were pleased the matters could finally be put out to rest and had no other comment to make, Mr Boyle said.

Jordan had been reportedly seeking $200,000 in damages through a civil suit.

Brooke said on TVNZ's Close Up he had no memory of the incident as it was 3am and he ``had had too much to drink'.

He had met with the girl and her family last week and apologised, he said.

He agreed to donate $3000 to a charity of the girl's choice, undergo alcohol counselling, reimburse her airfare and pay her family's legal fees.

The teenage girl's family said they sought no money other than the donation to the charity and reimbursement of expenses.

- NZPA