Cipriani ‘let himself and club down’ in bar assault
ENGLAND rugby star Danny Cipriani has “let himself, his family and his club down” in an assault at a Jersey bar.
The 30-year-old grappled with police after rowing with a doorman at the Royal Yacht Hotel in St Helier on Wednesday.
A female officer suffered bruising after he tried to break free from his handcuffs.
He was fined £2,000 and ordered to pay £250 compensation at Jersey Magistrates’ Court yesterday after pleading guilty to resisting arrest and common assault.
Mike Preston, defending, said: “He has suffered extreme embarrassment and knows he has let himself, his family and his club down.”
Prosecutor Samantha Morris said the incident started when the doorman stopped Cipriani walking out of the bar with two drinks.
He called the police after the flyhalf became “physically aggressive”, she added.
She said he “refused to understand why he was being arrested” and “tensed up”, refusing to put his arms behind his back.
Cipriani told police: “These wrists are gold, loosen the cuffs”, according to The Sun newspaper.
He had one hand in a handcuff but broke his other arm free, pushed towards the female officer and grabbed hold of her shirt, the court heard.
The police woman sustained bruising to her right bicep and reddening to her chest, Miss Morris said.
Mr Preston said that when Cipriani was approached outside the Pomme d’Or hotel by police he was “confused as to why he was immediately arrested and why he was being handcuffed”.
“He is very sorry for his behaviour, which lasted a few seconds,” he added.
Cipriani, wearing an open-necked checked shirt, kept his head down as he emerged from court.
He ignored reporters’ questions before getting into a waiting car.
Gloucester Rugby chief executive Stephen Vaughan described the incident as “very disappointing to be associated with”.
He said: “The incident in question was over in a matter of seconds and was a reaction to the conduct of other parties involved.”
He said Cipriani “knows his responsibilities and is aware of the impact of this type of incident on the club”.
“However, Danny is a Gloucester Rugby player and will receive our full support as we focus on the exciting season ahead.”
Cipriani was on the island with his club during a pre-season tour, including a training session with the Jersey Reds team.
He was originally also charged with larceny and being disorderly on licensed premises, but those charges were dropped.
The incident happened just hours after England cricketer Ben Stokes was cleared of affray following a citycentre brawl outside Bristol nightclub Mbargo.
The 27-year-old was recalled to England’s Test squad after he was acquitted by a jury on Tuesday.
Cipriani has been in trouble before. He was convicted of drinkdriving after he crashed his Mercedes into a taxi in London on June 1, 2015. He was ordered to pay a total of £7,620 in fines and costs and banned from driving for 18 months.
In 2013 he was hospitalised after being hit by a bus during a night out in Leeds.