‘The rumour is the bazooka’: Why Rocky Elsom fears jail time

Rocky Elsom has revealed his concern at possibly being left languishing in a prison cell should he be extradited to France after a judge this week issued an international arrest warrant for him and sentenced him in his absence to five years in jail.

While restating his innocence of the convictions recorded against him, Elsom, who is currently in Ireland, said he was worried he could be stuck in a French prison for as long as it took his appeal to be heard.

Asked in a series of written questions put to him by this masthead whether he was living in fear of being apprehended by the Irish authorities, Elsom replied: “The police are not the concern, but the length of time I could be held in custody before my appeal can be heard is a concern.

“There are a number of players who are still waiting to have unfair dismissal cases heard and they were lodged eight years ago.”

Rocky Elsom, pictured in 2011, is wanted by French authorities.Credit: Getty Images

Elsom – who is currently living in Dublin, where he is coaching the Catholic University School – learned through the media that there was a warrant for his arrest and that he had been sentenced to jail.

He said he did not intend to turn himself in or return to France voluntarily, adding that he had engaged French lawyers to appeal his conviction.

“I would say that if I went to France, I would be in custody until the appeal is heard and the timelines mentioned earlier are concerning,” he said.

Elsom was last week found guilty of forgery, the use of forgery and misuse of corporate assets and ordered to pay back a total of €700,000 ($1.13 million) that he was judged to have embezzled.

French lawyer Patrick Tabet also claimed that Elsom was found to have made a “completely unjustified” payment of €79,000 ($128,000) to a former coach, and also that he paid a €7,200 ($11,670) monthly salary to an Australian resident who “never came to Narbonne” to act as general manager, and who “did not provide any services” to the club.

“In France they say the rumour is the bazooka,” Elsom said. “I don’t expect to see anything incriminating in the court documents because there is nothing that says money was improperly spent.”

The 75-cap Wallaby again challenged the decision to hear the case against him in his absence, saying the French authorities had made no effort to contact him.

“On the Sunday before Friday’s hearing, I gave an interview in The Sunday Times giving my location, occupation and upcoming events, so the idea that I couldn’t be contacted is not valid,” he said.

“Neither the courts, the prosecutor nor [prosecuting lawyer Patrice] Tabet has said that they have tried to contact me. If you find a statement from anyone that specifically says they’ve tried, send it to me. Regardless, I haven’t had any correspondence from any of the above for eight years, including the lead up to this hearing.”

Elsom and his legal team are currently trying to secure the legal documents that were presented in the French court before lodging his appeal.

“I will present my evidence publicly, as well as in the appeals court, showing the evidence against me should never have led to a conviction, whether I was there or not,” he said.

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