A young rugby star has been granted a discharge without conviction over a domestic violence incident that left his partner bloodied and bruised - allowing him to take up a contract in Ireland.
Sevuloni Lasei Reece, a Waikato Rugby winger and second highest points scorer in the Mitre 10 Cup so far this year, will now get to take up his contract with Irish club Connacht in November as planned.
Reece, 21, was handed the discharge without conviction by Judge Denise Clark in the Hamilton District Court today.
Judge Clark said a conviction would have ended the Fijian-born player's Irish contract - and that would have been out of all proportion to the gravity of the offending.
"I have considered your circumstances and it's certainly not the case that because you are good at playing rugby that you get the opportunity to be discharged without conviction."