Latest news with #TeuiRobati
Daily Mail
12 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Footy star Teui Robati lured woman into pub toilet by making her a promise before allegedly raping her, court hears
Former NRL player Teui 'TC' Robati lured a woman into a pub toilet promising access to an exclusive event before raping her, a jury has been told. Robati, 23, has pleaded not guilty to raping the woman twice on December 11, 2022. The ex-Brisbane Broncos second-rower, wearing a white collared shirt, stood before the jurors and entered his pleas in Queensland 's District Court on Monday. Crown prosecutor Isabelle MacNicol told the jury a 24-year-old woman had attended a pub at the inner-Brisbane suburb of Fortitude Valley to celebrate a friend's birthday. 'The young woman found herself alone in a locked bathroom with a man she didn't know, who was bigger and stronger than her, a man who pressured her into two sexual acts,' Ms MacNicol said. 'That man was Teui Robati, who at the time was associated with the Brisbane Broncos.' A jury was told that Robati (pictured) lured a woman into a pub toilet by promising her access to an exclusive event before raping her Robati was axed by the Brisbane Broncos in February 2023, before the NRL season started. Ms MacNicol said earlier in the night the woman and her group of friends recognised another Broncos player and started speaking with him. Robati, aged 21 at the time, came over to introduce himself. '(Robati) invited her to an upstairs event. She thought it was exclusive, that she might get free drinks,' Ms MacNicol said. The woman was led upstairs at the pub and into a disabled bathroom. 'There was no mention of the event again. She thought Robati had taken her into the bathroom to offer a line of cocaine,' Ms MacNicol said. 'They went in, the door closed. He put her arm around her neck and started kissing her.' Ms MacNicol said Robati then exposed himself and demanded the woman perform a sex act. The woman responded 'I don't want to have sex with you,' Ms McNicol told the jury. The jury heard Robati allegedly verbally and physically forced the woman into two sex acts in a brief period of time. 'You will hear she felt pressured ... you will hear she felt she could not get away,' Ms McNicol said. 'You will hear from her friends that she was crying afterwards, panicking.' Robati's defence barrister David Funch told the jury it would not be an issue at the trial that his client was at the pub. 'It is accepted that sexual interaction occurred,' he said. Mr Funch said an important issue would be a 'mistake of fact'. 'In broad terms, if the person had an honest belief that the person was consenting and it was reasonable for them to hold that belief in all the circumstances, then they have a defence,' he said. 'Then they are not guilty of the charge.' The jury heard the prosecution would have to prove to them beyond reasonable doubt that Robati's defence of mistaken consent did not apply. The trial then moved to closed court for the jury to watch video evidence from the alleged victim that was recorded in 2024.
News.com.au
a day ago
- News.com.au
Ex-NRL star Teui Robati accused of rape in pub's disabled toilet
WARNING: Graphic details A Brisbane jury was told a woman began to 'gag' and felt like she was going to vomit as a former NRL player allegedly forced her to perform oral sex in a hotel toilet. Former Brisbane Broncos player Teui 'TC' Robati has pleaded not guilty to raping a woman twice during an alleged encounter in Fortitude Valley in late 2022. Crown prosecutor Isabelle MacNicol told the jury on Monday that the woman had met Mr Robati, along with at least one other Broncos player, earlier that evening at The Prince Consort Hotel in Fortitude Valley on December 11, 2022. The court was told the woman had been out that evening drinking with friends before she encountered Mr Robati at the hotel. She alleged Mr Robati invited the woman upstairs to an event, where he led her into a disabled toilet where she believed he was going to offer her a 'line of cocaine'. 'The door closed and almost immediately he put his arms around her neck and started kissing her,' Ms MacNicol said. Inside the toilet, Mr Robati allegedly pulled his pants down and told the woman to 'suck it' despite her saying she did not want to have sex, the court was told. 'She was scared, she started pacing. She covered her eyes, as she didn't want to look at the defendant's penis,' Ms MacNicol said. 'She said 'I don't want to do this, I don't know why I'm here'.' The woman felt 'pressured and compelled' and then performed oral sex on Mr Robati without her consent, the prosecutor told the court. 'The defendant didn't take no for an answer,' she said. The court was told she momentarily stopped before he forced her head down again. 'After about 15 seconds, she started to gag feeling like she was going to vomit,' Ms MacNicol said. She told the court the woman then said she needed to go to the toilet before getting dressed and leaving. Mr Robati's defence barrister told the court the case would hinge on two key arguments: first, that the sexual acts were entirely consensual and initiated willingly by both parties; and second, that even if the jury found the woman did not consent, Mr Robati held an honest and reasonable belief that she had, a belief which, even if ultimately mistaken, would form a crucial part of the defence's case. The jury was shown a prerecorded video of the complainant's evidence and her cross-examination, which was conducted in a closed session. Mr Robati was stood down by the Brisbane Broncos in February 2023, just weeks before the start of the NRL season, after the allegations became public. He has not played in the NRL since. The trial is expected to run for three days.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Former NRL player pleads not guilty to raping woman
Former NRL player Teui 'TC' Robati has pleaded not guilty to raping a woman twice in late 2022. The ex-Brisbane Broncos second-rower, wearing a white collared shirt, stood before a pool of potential jurors and entered his pleas in Queensland's District Court on Monday. Robati is charged with two counts of rape stemming from an alleged incident on December 11, 2022 at the inner-Brisbane suburb of Fortitude Valley. The 22-year-old was axed by the Brisbane Broncos in February 2023, before the NRL season started. The trial will continue on Monday to jury selection and an opening address by crown prosecutor Isabelle MacNicol. The trial is due to take three days before Judge William Everson. 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028
