Fiji Hottest Sevens player Steven Loko denied bail over alleged assault
An international rugby player set for Fiji’s lineup in the Territory Sevens tournament has been denied bail following an alleged assault in a Top End pub.
Police & Courts
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The Fiji lineup for the Territory Sevens competition may be compromised after one of the island nation’s players was denied bail following a fracas at a Territory venue.
Rugby player Steven Loko appeared in Darwin Local Court on Monday facing fresh charges including aggravated assault, breach of bail, disorderlybehaviour in a public place and failure to leave a licenced venue.
The 37-year-old was on bail for an aggravated assault on a worker charge and a separate incident where he allegedly refused to leave a licenced venue, was disorderly while armed in public, then gave a false name to a police officer and was disorderly in a cop shop.
On Monday lawyer Michael Drury asked for Loko’s release ahead of the Hottest Sevens match next week, Australia’s premier seven-a-side rugby tournament bringing together teams from across Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Samoa and the Asia Pacific.
“My client has been selected and is playing in the Northern Territory Sevens next week for Fiji,” Mr Drury said.
“This is something he would definitely like to participate in.”
Mr Drury argued the Crown’s case was weak as the alleged victim — who was also Loko’s partner — was refusing to give evidence and was waiting in the court gallery in support of the 37-year-old.
He said Loko was not a “threat” to the complainant, and the New South Wales man was not a “danger of fleeing” the Territory.
But prosecutors alleged that even if his girlfriend refused to testify, there was CCTV, security body cam footage and two witness statements of the alleged assault in a public place.
The court also heard there was an extensive criminal history in New South Wales, with an “extreme” risk of reoffending.
In summarising the bail application, Judge Alan Woodcock described Loko as a man with “a long history of violence, long history of disobeyance of court orders”.
“He’s on bail for violence, he allegedly committed violence, he’s both a flight risk and at risk of violent reoffending,” Mr Woodcock said.
Loko’s bail was denied and he was remanded in custody until October 23.
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