Six years' jail for rugby rapist

A former professional rugby player has been jailed for six years for raping a woman in a Shropshire alleyway.

Fijian-born Watisoni Leqeti, 28, was sentenced at Shrewsbury Crown Court for the rape in Newport in the early hours of 24 February, 2004.

Leqeti, who used to play for Newport Rugby Club, denied the charge but was found guilty at the court last month.

Judge Robin Onions recommended that Leqeti, of Springfields, Newport, should be deported.

He said the final decision would be made by the Home Office.

During the three-day trial, the court heard the victim had met up with Leqeti on a night out with a friend.

Appeal ruling

They all went to the friend's house to listen to music. After the victim left, Leqeti caught up with her, pushed her into an alleyway and raped her, the court was told.

Leqeti was jailed for the offence in 2004, but his conviction was overturned by the Court of Appeal.

A second trial was called off when a barrister fell ill.

The judge ordered that the time Leqeti had already served should be subtracted from the jail term.