Rugby league club president and church deacon jailed for repeatedly raping young woman

The former president of a Northern Territory rugby league club who stepped down after being charged with three counts of rape has been jailed for seven years.

THE former president of the Brothers Rugby League Club in Alice Springs who stepped down after being charged with three counts of rape has been jailed for seven years.

Isaako Salei was found guilty by a Supreme Court jury of repeatedly, forcibly raping one of his young relative’s friends after offering her a ride home from the pub in September 2017.

In sentencing the “family man” and church deacon last week, Justice Jenny Blokland said the young woman was out with friends at the The Juicy Rump Bar when Salei came and sat with the group.

He offered to give several of the young women a ride home and after dropping the other three of them off, asked his victim if he could come home with her, which she declined.

Salei then asked her if she wanted to go for a drive to which she agreed and he drove to Anzac Hill before heading to a nearby truck stop that the woman told the court she thought was open 24 hours “and therefore safe”.

By this time it was about 3am and the truck stop was closed and dark with no one else around and Justice Blokland said the woman “became frightened as she realised what Isaako Salei’s intentions were”.

“She started saying things that she thought would help her to get out of the situation, such as telling him that they could catch up on Sunday and they could do whatever then,” she said.

“She also impressed on him that (his relative) was her friend and she could not do anything to upset her, so she said nothing was going to happen. (She) repeated words to that effect at various stages through the ordeal and Isaako Salei told her that they should not or will not be telling (her).”

Salei then proceeded to repeatedly rape the woman in a way described as “extremely rough” while being, Justice Blokland said, “at least reckless” as to her lack of consent.

Salei then dropped the woman home where she realised she was covered in blood. “He should have known ‘no’ means ‘no’,” Justice Blokland said.

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A number of character references were tendered to the court for the married father of five, describing his active involvement in sport and his church but Justice Blokland said she gave them little weight.

“(One referee) gave a detailed reference over the subjects of rugby, family matters and his positive character traits,” she said.

“It might be thought that those sentiments need to be reviewed, given this conduct, which, even on his version, would not align with the values he was thought to represent.”

Salei will be eligible for parole after four years and 11 months.

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