Vainikolo in court.

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fleabane
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Vainikolo in court.

Post by fleabane »

From The Indy today.

"Gloucester winger Lesley Vainikolo today had a charge dropped against him ahead of his trial for allegedly attacking a man outside a nightclub.

Vainikolo, 30, appeared at Bristol Crown Court this morning charged with causing grievous bodily harm (GBH) with intent and causing grievous bodily harm.

But prosecutor William Hunter today dropped the more serious charge of GBH with intent against Vainikolo, who appeared in court dressed in a blue suit and pink tie.

Vainikolo, from Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, will now stand trial for the remaining count of causing GBH.

Vainikolo was charged following an incident on October 26 last year, in which a man - Jake Alicker - was taken to hospital with head injuries.

The incident took place outside the Second Bridge nightclub in Bath's Manvers Street.

Vainikolo previously entered not guilty pleas to the charges."

Still serious enough for a custodial sentence if guilty, but more likely a community order.

If convicted, will RFU follow with a "Disrepute" charge?
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Bill W
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Re: Vainikolo in court.

Post by Bill W »

More likely they will let the matter rest and leave it up to the Club.

I am bored with disrepute charges.
The opinion expressed above is that of the author and does not imply any acceptance of it by Leicester Football Club PLC or their agents who in no way share responsibility with the author for its publication.

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fleabane
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Re: Vainikolo in court.

Post by fleabane »

Can't afford to be bored Bill, not if you want to maintain the last vestiges of integrity in the game! (There is a quote about standing back and letting things happen I can't remember). And yes, RFU don't always/ever manage things well/at all.
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Richard
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Re: Vainikolo in court.

Post by Richard »

Took this of the gloucester forum page

Below is a cut from a news page...... Not great people to be out with really, lol.

'Later in the evening, at the Second Bridge nightclub Mr Alicker and Mr Weaver saw Vainikolo with fellow rugby players Olly Barkley, Matthew Stevens, Michael Lipman and Justin Harrison who all play for Bath RFC.'

full transcript from the Times
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/u ... 826323.ece

Don't forget Olly Barkley had been arrested back in 2006 but released without charge...taken from wikipedia

On 1 August 2006 Barkley was arrested in Newquay by police using CS spray after a fight in which a man suffered a broken jaw, but was later released without charge.
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Bill W
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Re: Vainikolo in court.

Post by Bill W »

One should not necessarily judge a man by the company he keeps.

But there is a thin white line somewhere!

:smt026 :smt026 :smt026
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fleabane
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Vainikolo

Post by fleabane »

Charges of causing GBH dropped by CPS (Skynews)
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jack
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Re: Vainikolo in court.

Post by jack »

Ah, so he was out with yobos ? Perhaos. All innocent of course. In Scotland the verdict "Not proven " can be quite handy.

BUT he leaves the court an innocent man. We must not forget this! :smt009 :smt018 :smt017
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g
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Re: Vainikolo in court.

Post by g »

All charges dropped as the jury failed to reach a verdict. ( Must have been all Gloucs fans then).


How difficult is it for this jury to see that Vainikolo left a man lying in the street with a fractured skull is obviously guilty. So another thug from rugby can go around beating people up and get off scot free. Look at the crowd he was with as well. Barclay (a thug), Lipman, Harrison, Stevens . What is it with these West Country yokels that gives them carte blanche to beat up anyone they like knowing they will get off with it. They should all be prevented from playing rugby as they are descrediting the game.
masopa
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Re: Vainikolo in court.

Post by masopa »

g wrote:All charges dropped as the jury failed to reach a verdict. ( Must have been all Gloucs fans then).


How difficult is it for this jury to see that Vainikolo left a man lying in the street with a fractured skull is obviously guilty. So another thug from rugby can go around beating people up and get off scot free. Look at the crowd he was with as well. Barclay (a thug), Lipman, Harrison, Stevens What is it with these West Country yokels that gives them carte blanche to beat up anyone they like knowing they will get off with it. They should all be prevented from playing rugby as they are descrediting the game.
To be fair, g, I'd be a bit more reticent about accusing the jury without knowing what evidence they were presented with (and I'm guessing we'll never know that). There will be a reason why the jury couldn't reach a verdict - possibly because of conflicting evidence or insubstantial evidence, perhaps a weak prosecution (that happened when I was a juror), perhaps a sharp brief for Volcano, etc. etc. A lot of plausible and justifiable reasons before presuming it was because the juror(s) were corrupt.
Johnnyg
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Re: Vainikolo in court.

Post by Johnnyg »

g wrote:All charges dropped as the jury failed to reach a verdict. ( Must have been all Gloucs fans then).


How difficult is it for this jury to see that Vainikolo left a man lying in the street with a fractured skull is obviously guilty. So another thug from rugby can go around beating people up and get off scot free. Look at the crowd he was with as well. Barclay (a thug), Lipman, Harrison, Stevens . What is it with these West Country yokels that gives them carte blanche to beat up anyone they like knowing they will get off with it. They should all be prevented from playing rugby as they are descrediting the game.
G wouldn't make comments like that without having sat through all of the days of evidence though surely? Noone could make a comment like that based just on news reports. Or maybe they could. :smt002
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Re: Vainikolo in court.

Post by Hull Fan »

I understand what masopa & johnnyg are saying but it does get a little frustrating that these so called "stars" always seem to get off on some technicality.

Maybe if it had been someone from a nasty council estate that had fractured someones skull and couldn't afford a good brief then there may of been enough
evidence to make a decision.
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