‘The press have come to the wrong people.’
Victoria Rose, wife of Bath and England outhalf Danny Cipriani, has shared a statement regarding the arrest of an English rugby player, on suspicion of rape, on Sunday.
Referring to the appearance of journalists outside of the couple’s family home on Wednesday morning, Rose strongly denied any links to the case and called on journalists and photographers to leave her and her family be.
On Tuesday, the Daily Mail reported that an England rugby union player has been arrested on suspicion of the rape of a teenager. The player – an England international – cannot be named for legal reasons, but was held on Sunday following reports of a sexual assault at a nightclub the night before.
He was arrested, along with a 41-year-old woman also being held on suspicion of administering a substance with intent to cause a sexual offence. Both the rugby player and woman have since been released on bail.
After her house was swarmed by reporters, earlier today, Victoria Rose took to social media to deny any links to the investigation.
She wrote: “A load of journalist have turned up outside my home this morning, causing me great alarm and distress, guessing (wrongly) that the story already in some parts of the press about a rugby player and his partner on suspicion of sexual offences might relate to Danny and myself.
“I presume they are making that wild guess because I am the same age as the woman is reported to be in the stories about that case.
“This is completely unwarranted and wholly unacceptable. Neither Danny nor myself have been arrested, nor do we have anything to do with the reported case, whatsoever. We do not know anything about it. The press have come to the wrong people and I would ask they leave us alone, immediately.”
https://twitter.com/VictoriaRoseCip/status/1481221266862493699
‘Victoria Rose’s statement is correct’
Chris Foy, a rugby correspondent with the Daily Mail, quoted the tweet and wrote, “This statement is correct – nothing to do with them at all.”
With regard to the investigation, a police spokesperson said: “Officers were called shortly before 11am on Sunday January 9 to a report of a sexual assault on a female.
“A woman in her late teens was reported to have been sexually assaulted. A man was arrested on suspicion of rape and a woman was arrested on suspicion of administering a substance with intent to cause a sexual offence.
“Both have since been released on bail as enquiries continue and a number of lines of enquiry are being followed up by detectives.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
