Api Ratuniyarawa has been jailed (Picture: David Rogers/Getty Images)
A rugby player who was set to join the Barbarians team has been sentenced for a series of sexual offences.
Api Ratuniyarawa, 37, admitted two counts of assault by penetration and one charge of sexual assault in relation to three young women.
He attended the Revolution bar in Cardiff on the evenings of October 31, November 1 and November 2, and the court was shown CCTV footage of all three incidents from the bar’s VIP area.
Ratuniyarawa has now been sentenced to two years and 10 months in prison.
The incidents took place between October 31 and November 2 of last year, days before Ratuniyarawa was due to feature on the bench for the Barbarians in their match against Wales on November 4.
He was charged with the sexual assaults just hours before kick-off.
Api Ratuniyarawa has four children (Picture: Ryan Hiscott/Getty Images for Barbarians)
He posed in the Barbarians’ kit shortly before the assaults (Picture: Ryan Hiscott/Getty Images for Barbarians)
Prosecuting, Heath Edwards said ‘the defendant appears to have spent many of his nights socialising’ in the week prior to the game.
In the first clip, Mr Edwards said the first victim ‘was clearly resisting the defendant and trying to move away from him’ as he tried to kiss her whilst dancing.
The second clip, from the following night, showed Ratuniyarawa ‘clearly intoxicated’ as he groped another victim.
A third clip showed him pick up another victim onto his lap before he touched her sexually.
In his defence, Ruth Smith KC said he wanted to apologise for his actions but had ‘limited recollection’ of the incidents.
Ratuniyarawa, who lives in Northamptonshire, has also denied two further charges of sexual assault which relate to one of the three women.
Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke also granted a restraining order of three years in relation to one of the victims.
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The Barbarians are a selected team made up of players from teams around the world.
In a previous statement, Barbarian FC said: ‘As soon as we were contacted by South Wales Police we cooperated fully, assisting them with their enquiries.
‘On their advice we can’t comment any further as the investigation is ongoing.’
This is a developing news story, more to follow soon… Check back shortly for further updates.
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