KEY POINTS:
The first time alleged rapist Tea Ropati's wife heard of sex charges against her husband was the day he called her from Auckland Central police station, a District Court jury heard yesterday.
Vanessa Ropati said her initial reaction was to consider the phone call - which came weeks after the alleged offences happened - as a joke typical of Ropati's sense of humour.
Mrs Ropati told defence lawyer Gary Gotleib the couple had argued - and Ropati had left the house - in the hours before he allegedly sexually violated and raped a 36-year-old woman.
The couple - who each have children from previous relationships - had "a bit of a disagreement over parenting issues" on the evening of June 14, 2006, she said.
"It was a heated argument, where neither of us was going to back down."
Ropati has three sons, Mrs Ropati a 9-year-old son. The couple also have an infant daughter together, the court was told.
They had shared a bottle of wine that evening, and Ropati "might" have had a couple of beers, Mrs Ropati said.
Ropati had opened a second bottle of wine, but she did not have any, the court heard.
She later told crown prosecutor Phil Hamlin she understood Ropati had left the house to meet a friend and "to get away from the argument, probably".
The Crown alleges Ropati ended up at the Whiskey Bar on Auckland's Ponsonby Rd, where he met the complainant.
The woman had been drinking at the bar with a group of friends.
Ropati is alleged to have attempted to sexually violate the woman in a back room of the bar, then allegedly raped and sexually violated her at nearby Victoria Park.
He is denying a total of six charges.
Mrs Ropati said she first met her husband 12 years ago, but it was not until eight years later that the couple embarked on "a wonderful romance".
The couple had married on Valentine's Day, 2006, four months to the day before the June 14 row, the court heard.
Mrs Ropati said she found it "quite astounding" the way her husband had been portrayed as sleazy in the media over the past week.
She described him as having "an incredible ability ... to take the piss", and said he could often be "more one of the girls than one of the boys".
A woman who was at the Whiskey Bar the night of the alleged incident gave defence evidence yesterday.
She said she had come forward to refute allegations made in the trial that Ropati was being "sleazy".
The woman - who was granted name suppression - said she had spoken with Ropati more than once that night, and found him friendly.
Mr Hamlin - in cross-examination - played bar security footage showing a woman he said could be the witness talking with Ropati that evening.
He also played footage of the bar patron being followed into the female toilets by Ropati.
The woman told the court she could not recall the incident.
Former league stars Dean Lonergan and Tawera Nikau were among witnesses to give character evidence for Ropati.
Mr Lonergan described his friend of 23 years as being of a "gentle nature" and "respectful" to women, who liked him.
Ropati had appeared in Lonergan-organised Fight for Life charity events, but often needed to be "worked up" to fight, Mr Lonergan said.
Tawera Nikau - who played rugby league with, and against, Ropati in New Zealand, Australia and Britain - said he "wholeheartedly" rejected any suggestion Ropati was sleazy or predatory around women. He said Ropati was a good-looking man who was often approached by women.
The defence case is expected to continue from noon on Tuesday.
