Former NRL player Teui “TC” Robati has been acquitted of rape charges following a trial involving allegations he assaulted a woman in a pub’s disabled toilet in Fortitude Valley, Brisbane, on December 11, 2022. After the jury deliberated for nine hours over a period of one-and-a-half days, the District Court delivered its verdict, with Judge William Everson presiding.
During the trial, Crown prosecutor Isabelle MacNicol contended that Robati had deceived the woman into the toilet under the pretense of gaining access to an exclusive event before committing the assault. However, Robati’s defence lawyer, David Funch, did not dispute his client’s presence in the pub but pointed to a key argument of “mistake of fact.” Funch maintained that if Robati had an honest and reasonable belief that the woman was consenting, he could not be found guilty. The prosecution was tasked with proving, beyond reasonable doubt, that this defence did not apply.
While he was found not guilty of two rape charges, Robati did plead guilty to a separate case involving an indecent assault on a different woman that occurred on December 21, 2022, where he was accused of groping her. He remained in court for sentencing related to this charge, which was distinct from the trial’s rape allegations.
Robati, a 23-year-old former second-rower for the Brisbane Broncos, has faced serious repercussions from both the legal system and the rugby league community. The outcomes of his trial and guilty plea highlight the complexities and serious nature of sexual assault cases.
For those affected by such issues, support is available through the National Sexual Assault, Domestic and Family Violence Counselling Service at 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732).