Brooke Warkworth bound

The supermarket workers' union is disappointed with the ruling on Robin Brooke. Photo / Paul Estcourt

Disgraced former All Black Robin Brooke has been cleared to buy Warkworth's New World, despite sex allegations still hanging over him.

Foodstuffs, parent company of New World, says it will not intervene in Brooke's negotiations to buy the supermarket which are almost completed.

He is expected to take over on August 9.

The National Distribution Workers Union, which represents supermarket staff, says it is disappointed with the decision.

A Foodstuffs spokeswoman said claims that he had sex with a comatosed and drunk 18-year-old after an All Blacks test in Christchurch in 1998 were "historic" and had allegedly occurred before he joined the company.

Police have confirmed, for the first time, they are assessing the allegations against Brooke, but won't say if a complaint has been filed with them.

Union retail secretary Maxine Gay said: "Foodstuffs are going ahead with someone who's got a question mark above his character.

"People working in supermarkets are generally young, generally female and vulnerable.

"Not for one moment am I accusing him of anything, but I would have expected Foodstuffs to expect more from people they employ to manage their staff."

Brooke has owned the Gate Pa New World in Tauranga for about four years. His five-bedroom Pyes Pa house in Tauranga is on the market and will be auctioned on Wednesday.

Real estate agent Nicolette Aldridge said the family were expected to leave Tauranga by the end of July.

Police are refusing to release any details of their investigation into the sex allegations.

"The matter is still in the process of being assessed by investigators," spokesman Jon Neilson said.

Last month TVNZ's Close Up programme revealed new sex allegations against Brooke involving the then 18-year-old, and how, after speaking to the All Blacks manager at the time Mike Banks, the woman was paid $1500 by Brooke to keep the matter quiet.

They followed revelations that Brooke groped a 15-year-old Auckland girl while holidaying at a Fijian resort on New Year's Eve last year. He also assaulted her 17-year-old male friend, who came to her aid.

That issue was resolved when Brooke reached a settlement with the teenage girl and her family, which included an apology on Close Up.

All other terms of the settlement were confidential.

Brooke's lawyer Richard Earwaker said yesterday they were unaware police were assessing the sex allegation.

"That's news to me. We only know what we read in the newspapers," he said.

Foodstuffs, parent company of New World, said it had discussed the sex allegations with Brooke.

He had assured them his focus was on his family and their wish to return to Warkworth, his home town.

"After due consideration and based upon currently available information, Foodstuffs has resolved not to intervene in Mr Brooke's negotiations to purchase Warkworth New World," a spokeswoman said.

Brooke and wife Hayley have four children.

anna.leask@hos.co.nz