Stephen Bachop
Former All Black Stephen Bachop has pleaded guilty to
four charges laid after Rugby World Cup final celebrations last
October.
The 45-year-old admitted two assault counts, one of
possessing cannabis and one of resisting police when he
appeared before Judge Susan Thomas in Wellington District
Court this morning.
A further charge of possessing utensils for cannabis use was
withdrawn. One of the assault accusations was reduced from
male assaults female - allegedly his wife - to a Summaries
Offences Act assault.
Judge Thomas did not enter convictions when she remanded
Bachop on continued bail for sentencing on May 31.
Any application for a discharge without conviction was to be
filed seven days in advance, she said.
Bachop had entered not guilty pleas to all the charges late
last year and a defended hearing had been set down for May
28.
An application for police diversion on the original charges
was declined at an early stage.
The former New Zealand Colts, Western Samoa and All Blacks
player initially had name suppression but did not pursue it
at a December callover.
He said then, through his lawyer Val Nisbet, that he had
wanted time for he and his partner to speak with their
children, immediate family and employers.
Bachop also said he was not pursuing name suppression because
he wanted to prevent any potentially negative impact on other
former All Blacks.
Yesterday Mr Nisbet told Judge Thomas it had been an
emotional time for the family.
"A quick resolution to this would be of benefit to them
all.''
An application for police diversion was declined at an early
stage.
After learning yesterday that police intended to reduce the
male assaults female charge to a lesser count of assault and
to withdraw the charge of possessing cannabis utensils, Judge
Thomas gave Bachop until this morning to decide whether to
change his pleas on the remaining counts.
The summary of facts has not yet been read out in court.
It is understood the assaults (on his partner and a passer-by
who intervened) were filmed on CCTV cameras outside
Wellington Central Police Station in the early hours of last
October 24.
Bachop had been commentating at a nearby pub during the
broadcast of the World Cup final between the All Blacks and
France.
- Rosaleen Macbrayne
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