Latest news with #BradfordBulls
Daily Mail
07-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Rugby league star Keven Appo on the run from shocking rape charges poses with COPS in his jungle homeland - as breaks cover after family tragedy
A rugby league star who went on the run after being charged with sexual offences is making a mockery of an extradition agreement by flaunting his new life online. Bradford Bulls rugby league forward Keven Appo, 25, was given conditional bail in November 2024 after he was charged with rape, sexual assault of a female and two counts of assault in relation to allegations made in April 2024 in Halifax, northern England. Less than five hours later, he boarded a flight home to Papua New Guinea where he is now enjoying his freedom with his family. Posting family snaps on social media from his hometown of Goroka, the father-of-one has made high-profile public appearances and even posed for photos with local law enforcement. Appo, who was born in the Eastern Highlands province, made his international debut for PNG at the Rugby League World Cup in 2022. He joined Bradford Bulls in 2023 but the Super League club terminated his contract after his arrest. He then failed to appear at Bradford Magistrates Court on January, 6, 2025. The court heard that Appo had handed back his house and car keys to the club manager before boarding a flight from Manchester to Dubai, where he flew on to Port Moresby. Bradford Bulls rugby league forward Kevin Appo, 25, was given conditional bail in November 2024 after he was arrested in relation to a report made in April 2024 in the UK Less than five hours later he had already boarded a flight home to Papua New Guinea where he is now enjoying his freedom with his wife and child Papua New Guinea is a Commonwealth country so it has an extradition agreement with the UK and, by law, he should be transported back there to face his charges. In January, PNG Foreign Affairs Minister Justin Tkatchenko called the situation an 'embarrassment' and said the government would not allow the country to become a safe haven for criminals. 'Our government will not tolerate such behaviour,' he said in a statement. 'Everybody must follow the laws of the country that they are living in, or that they're working in or that they're visiting. 'This puts embarrassment on our country as well, that this fellow Papua New Guinean is trying to deviate from the rules of law.' But acting Police Commissioner Donald Yamasombi said there had been extradition request from UK authorities. 'Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary has not received any formal requests of extradition from the UK authorities,' he said in January. 'We will work with the UK police to ensure the suspect is made available to answer to his charges as soon as we recieve the formal MLA (mutual legal assistance) request.' Appo is a celebrity in his home country, and has not tried to keep a low profile since his return. He recently led the funeral service for his father and former league player Jackson Appo. Dressed in a suit, he delivered a heartfelt speech to hundreds of mourners who lined the streets to pay their respect on April 2. 'Besides being father and so, we were best of friends. My pillar of strength I am lost without you,' Appo said. He also made another public appearance on May, 3, posing for photos with local police after his cousin was sworn in to the local council. Home Office guidance on extradition back to the UK reads: 'Once a requested person is available for surrender, the UKCA will be notified by the British Embassy or High Commission, or the police will be notified by Interpol. 'Officers from the National Extradition Unit will make arrangements to collect and escort the requested person back to the UK.' After news broke that Appo was on the run, he took to social media to 'clear the air'. 'There's always two sides to a coin,' Appo wrote. 'The accusations made are false accusations/allegations based on personal gain/interest. I will not go further into details due to personal reasons, but only God knows the truth. 'I also would like to clarify that the statement made that I was SACKED/TERMINATED was incorrectly stated. I was released upon my request earlier due to other interest, not that my contract was terminated following the recent speculations.
The Independent
13-03-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Former England rugby league prop denies sexual assault
A former England rugby league player and TV pundit has appeared in court to deny sexually assaulting a woman. Danika Priim appeared briefly at Leeds Crown Court to deny a single charge of sexual assault said to have happened at Horsforth Cricket Club in the city on July 22, 2022. The 40-year-old former Bradford Bulls and Leeds Rhinos prop was granted bail ahead of her trial – which was scheduled to last three days, starting on November 16, 2026. The defendant, who played for England at the 2017 World Cup, retired from the game in 2021 and had appeared on TV as a pundit.
Sky News
13-03-2025
- Sport
- Sky News
Ex-rugby league player and TV pundit Danika Priim denies sexually assaulting woman at cricket club
A female ex-England rugby league player and TV pundit has appeared in court to deny sexually assaulting a woman. Danika Priim, 40, is accused of carrying out the offence at Horsforth Cricket Club in Leeds on 22 July 2022. The former Bradford Bulls and Leeds Rhino prop, who played for England at the 2017 World Cup, denied the allegation during a brief appearance at Leeds Crown Court today. She was granted bail ahead of her trial - which was scheduled to start on 16 November 2026 and last three days. Priim retired from the game in 2021 and has appeared as a pundit on Sky Sports and the BBC. The former rugby league star, from Keighley, West Yorkshire, declined to comment as she left court.
Yahoo
13-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Former England rugby league prop denies sexual assault
A former England rugby league player and TV pundit has appeared in court to deny sexually assaulting a woman. Danika Priim appeared briefly at Leeds Crown Court to deny a single charge of sexual assault said to have happened at Horsforth Cricket Club in the city on July 22, 2022. The 40-year-old former Bradford Bulls and Leeds Rhinos prop was granted bail ahead of her trial – which was scheduled to last three days, starting on November 16, 2026. The defendant, who played for England at the 2017 World Cup, retired from the game in 2021 and had appeared on TV as a pundit. Priim, of Keighley, West Yorkshire, declined to comment as she left court.
Yahoo
10-02-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
New backroom team can push Saints on
St Helens boss Paul Wellens says the arrival of Eamon O'Carroll and Lee Briers to his backroom team can be the impetus his side needs to push on in 2025. O'Carroll arrived off the back of coaching Championship side Bradford Bulls last term while England men's assistant coach Briers joined having spent the past two seasons as an assistant coach at the Brisbane Broncos in Australia. The pair joined Saints as part of a revamped backroom line-up following a 2024 campaign which saw them finish sixth in Super League, with Matty Smith leaving to rejoin Wigan and France coach Laurent Frayssinous also exiting. "I feel there's always expectation around us as a club and this year is no different. Obviously we learned some valuable lessons last year and hopefully as a team we can grow off the back of that," Wellens told BBC Radio Merseyside. "I felt the environment needed freshening up a bit and that's no slight on the people who aren't here any more. Some fantastic people have left the organisation. "Some new faces and new minds bring in fresh ideas, fresh enthusiasm for what we're doing and when you bring in new ideas it brings in a new stimulus for the players as well." Having had a transitional year in 2024 following the end of their dynasty which saw massive success between 2019 and 2023, Saints have shored up their squad for the new campaign. The club have signed Kyle Feldt and Tristan Sailor from the NRL while promising young players George Delaney and Harry Robertson have signed long-term deals ahead of Saturday's season opener against Salford Red Devils. Wellens says he will require flexibility between Sailor and full-back Jack Welsby over where each player fits in between full-back and stand-off this term. "We have to have some flexibility there. It's unlikely we'll have both players there all year for every game," he added. "They're both very accomplished in both positions which is a great situation to find ourselves in but we do want to settle on something pretty early. "We have throughout the course of pre-season trained them both in both positions but come the weekend we'll go with something we feel is the best fit moving forward."
