Foran’s ex-wife slams trolling

OPINION: It’s a Mother’s Day plea that could end up in court: Rebecca Pope, Kieran Foran’s ex-partner, wants the trolling to stop. Warriors league star Foran’s return to Sydney at season’s end can’t come soon enough for Pope, and it’s not just because she will have another set of hands to help with the couple’s two kids. Pope has been the victim of unrelenting abuse on social media and she has reached her wit’s end.

Pope is now understoods to be engaging a defamation lawyer in an effort to stop the comments.

Pope has been accused of having an affair with a former team-mate of Foran and the suggestion has been that one of the couple’s children is not Foran’s. The false rumours were stated as fact on Sydney radio by host Jackie O. After a legal letter to the radio station she made an onair apology, but the damage has been done. The facts are these: Pope never cheated on Foran; the child is his; and Foran’s overdose had nothing to do with his son. The trolling has been damaging to Pope, Foran and some former team-mates.

We approached Pope for comment via a third party and Pope provided a statement, which reads: ‘‘Over the past year I have endeavoured to stay out of the media out of respect for my children, but there comes a point when enough is enough, when I can no longer just turn a blind eye to the malicious messages and comments made about myself and my son.

‘‘The statement broadcast on the Kyle and Jackie O Show gave imputations of infidelity and questioned the paternity of Kieran and my son. These statements are truly appalling.

‘‘The reason I am making this statement is because I’m thinking of my son’s future. He does not deserve to read such hurtful and disgusting lies. Both Kieran and I love him dearly.’’