Fijian NRL star arrested at airport

AUSTRALIA – Parramatta Eels Fijian star Semi Radradra has been charged with domestic violence offences after being arrested at Sydney Airport on Thursday night.

The 24-year-old was arrested and questioned after he arrived back in Australia from Fiji.

A 24-year-old woman made a complaint against Radradra on Tuesday night, alleging she was assaulted on multiple occasions at the couple’s Parramatta home.

Police said he had since been charged with assault causing actual bodily harm domestic violence, and two counts of common assault domestic violence.

He was also served with an apprehended violence order.

Radradra was released on conditional bail and is expected to appear in Parramatta Local Court on Tuesday.

The allegations relate to a past relationship, and the assaults allegedly took place in 2014 and 2015.

Former NRL and NFL player Jarryd Hayne, who had been in Fiji to train with the country’s rugby sevens team, flew into Sydney on the same flight as Radradra.

Hayne said it was a coincidence he was on the same flight, but it gave him the chance to share some advice with Radradra.

“When I called the guys at Fiji Airways today, they were like, ‘you wouldn’t believe it, Semi’s on your same flight’. I said ‘no way’,” Hayne said.

“It was good to spend time with Semi, I hadn’t obviously been able to catch up with him – so it was great just being able to sit at the airport and just go into a good conversation with him and try to help him out as much as I can.

“It’s been a bit of mayhem by all reports, but I think the biggest advice I gave to him was to run a tight ship.

“I think that’s probably my biggest thing– I don’t talk a lot and that’s why, you know, I like to let my football do the talking.”

- ABC