Fijian police still to decide whether to charge Brooke

Former rugby star Robin Brooke was an Auckland representative for 14 years. Photo / Kenny Rodger

Fijian police say it is too early to say if former All Black Robin Brooke will be charged for allegedly sexually harassing a teenage girl, but they are still investigating the incident.

An Auckland girl, 15, has claimed that Brooke touched her backside twice on New Year's Eve while holidaying at the Hilton Fiji Beach Resort and Spa on Denarau Island.

Fijian Police Sergeant Suliano Tevita told the Herald that Brooke, 43, was under investigation but had not been charged. Mr Tevita said it was too early to know how long the police inquiry would take.

Brooke, who is believed to be back in New Zealand, did not return Herald calls yesterday despite repeated efforts to contact him.

The girl, from Ponsonby, had worked part-time to save her airfare to Fiji to stay with a schoolfriend whose father, Philip Buckleton, owns Beachside Resort at Nadi.

The girls were sitting next to the pool when Brooke walked past and grabbed one on the buttocks.

Mr Buckleton claimed that after Brooke repeated his actions, a teenage boy with the group pleaded with him to stop.

The Herald on Sunday reported that the teenager, Jordan, claimed that while trying to intervene Brooke grabbed him by the throat and threw him on to a deckchair.

Mr Buckleton said security guards did not go to the girl's aid, even when told what was happening. "In Fiji, the All Blacks are treated like gods."

Mr Buckleton contacted the tourist police, who took a statement and an assault complaint from Jordan, and gave the case to the Namaka police.

Brooke approached the girl later in the day to try to reconcile, but the girl was too angry to speak to him. Jordan also met Brooke several days later. He said the former rugby player was apologetic.

The girl's mother told the Herald on Sunday that it had been an upsetting experience, and they wanted Brooke to make amends. "We don't want him to get a criminal conviction but we want him to give our daughter a sincere apology," she said.

Brooke returned from holiday on Saturday. He lives in Tauranga with his wife Hayley, two sons and a daughter. He played 69 test matches for the All Blacks in the 1990s. He was an Auckland representative for 14 years, retiring in 2001, and captained the Blues Super 12 side.