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The police adult sexual abuse unit that arrested former league star Tea Ropati was out to make a name for itself, his lawyer claimed last night.
Gary Gotlieb said the unit was formed just one week before Ropati was alleged to have sexually violated a woman he met in a Ponsonby Rd bar in June 2006.
Yesterday, after a seven-day hearing, an Auckland jury yesterday acquitted the former Warriors and Kiwis player of six sex charges.
Last night on TV One's CloseUp, Mr Gotlieb said police were looking to prove themselves.
"Maybe they were trying to do the impossible," he said.
Detective Senior Sergeant Scott Beard, appearing alongside Mr Gotlieb, rejected the suggestion.
"Not at all. This case had already been reported to the police prior to that squad being formed," said Mr Beard, who oversees the adult sexual abuse unit.
Mr Gotlieb replied: "And you came in and go 'whammo' and 'We're going to prove ourselves'."
The barrister said police had played "hardball" with Ropati right from the beginning.
"The day we made the statement to police, we came in voluntarily, and talked about name suppression. They agreed, and then changed the rules and said they wanted his name published ... I went off my nut."
Mr Gotlieb told the Herald that in the 38 years he had been working on rape trials he had seen the law go "so anti-male it's not funny".
"We've got so bloody PC," he said.
During the trial he asked whether men would have to "take a Breathalyser" out with them.
"That's how stupid we've got."
Police Association president Greg O'Connor said Mr Gotlieb knew enough about police work to know what he was claiming was wrong. "It was mischievous and muck-raking."
Mr Beard said the complaint against Ropati was made in June 2006 and initially dealt with by the crime squad on duty that night, then passed on to the investigative squad.
He said because police were busy with homicides around the time of the complaint, they could not give the woman "the full attention she deserved".
He said the sexual assault team was then formed in July following the Commission of Inquiry into Police Conduct and the woman's case was passed on to them. "We'd come under scrutiny about how police dealt with victims of rape."
Mr Beard denied that the police were out to prove themselves with a celebrity scalp.
He said there was sufficient evidence to take Ropati to court.
"Sometimes we know who the defendant is but sometimes you don't.
"You don't know what you're going to find. We had to consider the welfare of the victim.
"It doesn't matter if she's had too much to drink or not. We don't prosecute every single person. We are not the judge or the jury. The courts accepted the complaint."
Mr Beard said the police had received positive feedback from the Crown and outside agencies about the new squad, which is continuing to support the victim after the trial.
As the not-guilty verdicts were delivered the courtroom erupted as members of Ropati's family, led by brother Peter, shouted and hurled abuse at the court system, police and the media.
"This should never have happened, it should never have come to this," Peter Ropati yelled, before Judge Phil Gittos ordered him out.
But Mr Ropati continued his tirade outside the courtroom, blasting the prosecution as "a waste of money" and "a pile of poop".
Tea Ropati was more subdued as he left the court, thanking his family and friends for their support over the past few months.
Mr Gotlieb read a statement from his client outside the court in which Ropati said he had "ongoing" issues with alcohol to address.
"I never doubted that I would be found innocent of the charges. I have been honest and up-front at all times with everyone concerned, beginning with police on the day I learned of these allegations against me."
He thanked his wife Vanessa, his children, parents and siblings for standing by him through the "extraordinarily" difficult time.
"I have five young children and I am uncertain what the future holds."
WOMAN WEEPS AT VERDICTS
The woman at the centre of the allegations against Tea Ropati was not in court when the jury came back yesterday, but wept when she heard of the six not-guilty verdicts.
The woman - who cannot be named for legal reasons - was shocked by the news.
"While I'm devastated by the verdicts I have no regrets about coming forward and would still encourage any woman who endures this type of experience to do so. This is the only way we can make sure that our society remains safe for women."
The past 18 months had been the most challenging of her life but she got through them with the unwavering support of her family, friends, employer and police, she said.
The officer in charge of the case, Detective Nicolas Poore of the adult sexual assault team, told the Herald the woman was upset but philosophical. "She's very emotional ... but happy with the prosecution team. We put the case forward as best we could."
Mr Poore said police knew it would be a difficult case to prove but believed there was sufficient evidence to warrant a trial.
"It wasn't the result we hoped for. It wasn't black and white and the issue of consent was important," he said.
"But the jury have made their decision and that's what the system is."
