Former Tonga rugby star, Penikolo Latu, has been found guilty of assaulting an off-duty cop at an Aussie nightclub earlier this year. The late-night drama unfolded at the King Street Hotel, New South Wales, around 1:30 am on March 1st. The victim, Aaron Barnett, ended up with serious injuries, including a fractured eye socket and a bleed on the brain.
The courtroom saw intense debate over whether Latu’s actions were in self-defence, with CCTV and police bodycam footage playing a significant role. Latu claimed he felt threatened after an encounter with Mr Barnett’s friend on the dancefloor. As tensions escalated, Barnett pushed Latu and gestured provocatively. Latu retaliated by throwing his drink and then delivering a punch, exiting the club swiftly thereafter.
Judge Janine Lacy concluded that Latu’s response was excessive for self-defence and ruled the police officer’s status irrelevant since he was off duty. Despite his claims, Latu’s actions landed him a guilty verdict for assault occasioning actual bodily harm. He is set to be sentenced in November but plans to appeal.
With nine caps for Tonga between 2017 and 2021, and stints with the Junior All Blacks, Latu’s rugby career might take a significant hit from this legal setback. Stay tuned for updates as the case unfolds.