Cipriani charged after fight with club doorman
ENGLAND rugby star Danny Cipriani has been charged with assault following an alcohol-fuelled fight with a doorman at a nightclub in Jersey.
The 30-year-old was arrested in the early hours of yesterday outside The Little Drift bar in St Helier.
He was charged with common assault, larceny, assault on police, resisting arrest and being disorderly on licensed premises and was being held in custody until a hearing at Jersey Magistrates Court this morning.
It comes only weeks after he was recalled to the England squad for the first time since 2015, and a trial could put an end to his international career and World Cup ambitions.
The fly-half was in the Channel Islands for a pre-season training event with his new club, Gloucester RFC, against Jersey Reds RFC.
He had been on a night out with the rest of his Gloucester team-mates after a joint training session with Jersey earlier in the day, and ahead of a day off yesterday, when he is thought to have had a drunken argument with a bouncer outside The Little Drift nightclub.
‘Cipriani was in a row after a big disagreement with a burly bouncer,’ a source told The Sun. ‘The player wanted to take his drink outside, but wasn’t allowed.
‘An argument broke out and there was a scuffle as the duo spilled out into the street.
‘Cipriani, looking unsteady on his feet, was detained. Police were called straight away.’
Cipriani’s arrest comes after he last week vowed to ‘do every- thing I can’ to remain in the England team. He is also new to Gloucester RFC, which he joined earlier this summer after his contract ended with Wasps club in Coventry.
Last night, Gloucester RFC said: ‘We are aware of an incident involving Danny Cipriani in the early hours of Wednesday morning following an incident at a St Helier nightclub. He was arrested and has since been charged by police.
‘The club will be issuing no further comment at this time but will make a further announcement in due course.’
A Jersey police spokesman said last night: ‘Thirty-year-old Daniel Cipriani was charged with common assault, larceny, assault on police, resisting arrest and disorderly on licensed premises. He has been remanded in custody until his appearance at the magistrates court.
‘He was arrested in the early hours of the morning following an incident in Mulcaster Street in St Helier.’
Pictures on Gloucester RFC’s official Twitter account before the arrest show Cipriani wearing a grey T-shirt and black shorts posing with fans.
The club also posted the message: ‘Thank you to Jersey RFC and your supporters for giving us such a warm welcome.’
It understood that the charge of assaulting a police officer will be vehemently denied by Cipriani’s lawyer. It is also understood there is CCTV footage of the episode and that Cipriani’s lawyer is confident it will lead to the dismissal of the majority of the charges.
ENGLAND star Danny Cipriani has been charged with assaulting police during an incident at a Jersey nightclub. The 30-year-old Gloucester fly-half is also charged with resisting arrest, common assault, larceny and being disorderly on licensed premises. He has been remanded in custody and will appear at Jersey Magistrates’ Court this morning. His club said in a statement: ‘Gloucester Rugby are aware of an incident involving Danny Cipriani in the early hours of Wednesday morning following an incident at a St Helier nightclub.’