Four players violated me, woman says

Teen tells of severe injury

The 18-year-old at the centre of rape allegations against England rugby team members has described how she went to a hotel with one player and ended up being violated by four of them.

The injuries from the alleged sexual violation were so severe that medics referred her to police.

New Zealand police are investigating the incident and the English Rugby Football Union has launched its own independent inquiry into the matter.

Four England players - Danny Care, David Strettle, Topsy Ojo and Mike Brown - stand accused of sexual assault after taking the 18-year-old back to the Hilton hotel following a game in Auckland on June 15. The men have denied any wrong-doing and claimed the sex with the girl was consensual.

In a bid to put pressure on the British inquiry, the victim's lawyer sent its head Judge Jeff Blackett a letter yesterday seeking to "correct misinformation" about the case.

Copies were also sent to the New Zealand media.

Witnesses claimed the complainant was a "sports groupie" who had been cavorting and lap-dancing with the men on the night of the alleged sexual assault.

The woman has denied being a lap dancer and said the reason she would not lay a formal complaint was to avoid being victimised again.

"As you will appreciate, she anticipates that that course would generate extensive and invasive news media, threaten her privacy and personal life, and compound the impact on her of the 15 June sexual violations," said the letter, written by Chapman Tripp lawyer Jack Hodder.

The letter claims allegations raised by a "boyfriend" were untrue - she does not have a boyfriend.

She also denied knowing Sophie Lewis, the 22-year-old who sold her story about sleeping with another player under the name "Angel Barbie".

Glenda Hughes, who is representing the victim, said she was coping well in the circumstances but was hurt by the misinformation swirling around the case.

The woman had already suffered a traumatic experience, and believed laying a complaint would extend that suffering.

"I ask you, if your daughter was in this position, would you advise her to make a complaint?" Ms Hughes said.

The officer in charge of the case, Detective Sergeant Andy King, said police here had nearly completed their investigation.

It would be difficult to take the matter to court without a formal complaint, but the file would remain open, and the victim was free to lay a complaint any time.

The English RFU said Judge Blackett "is considering the contents of the letter and his investigation is continuing. No date has been set for the completion of the investigation".

After the allegation was made, RFU chief executive Francis Baron said the RFU was desperate to clear the players' names.

He said: "We're in a very strange situation - with no allegations, no complaint being made - as to exactly how the name of the players can be cleared."

New Zealand police have not been contacted about the British inquiry.

- with NZPA