Cook Islands rugby star Ioane George Ioane will still play in June's World Cup qualifier against Fiji despite being sentenced in court today for mail theft and unlawfully opening 1700 postal items.
The 26-year-old appeared for sentencing in Napier District Court this morning after pleading guilty to charges of theft by a person in a special relationship and unlawfully opening mail items while he was employed as an on-call postal worker.
Judge Tony Adeane sentenced the Hastings club rugby player to six months community detention, 200 hours community work and $3000 in reparation to the New Zealand Post.
The utility back has been named in the Cook Islands Rugby Union's 24 man squad for the Rugby World Cup qualifier against Fiji on June 28.The Cook Islands will play Fiji home-and-away for the right to claim the last Oceania berth in the next year's Rugby World Cup in England.
Ioane's lawyer successfully argued for the community sentence to be deferred until July 1 to allow the 26-year-old to play in the qualifying match.
