• 7 months ago
ENGLAND rugby star Billy Vunipola "laughed" at cops the first time they tried to taser him after he allegedly hurled chairs at bar staff.

The Saracens player, 31, was arrested in a Majorcan late-night bar and tasered twice by cops in a scene that was "like a film".

Witnesses claimed on Monday that Vunipola appeared unfazed by the first stun gunshot and was only knocked to the ground when police fired at him a second time.

One witness said: "He laughed the first time they went to taser him, it was like a film, and I heard the words 'another one' and the second time round he fell to the ground and the officers immobilized him and put wrist-ties on him."

The rugby player, who was born in Australia and moved to the UK with his family when he was a child, reportedly threatened customers and staff in the bar after removing his shirt about 4.30 am on Sunday.

Vunipola has denied making threats, engaging in a fight or violence, and throwing "bottles or chairs or anything else".

But court officials in Majorca said on Monday that Vunipola pleaded guilty at a "speedy trial" on Sunday to "resisting the law" and "a minor crime of wounding".

A police officer suffered injuries to his wrist and finger after the rugby player "lunged" at the cop, according to sentencing documents issued after the court hearing.

Officers had responded to a call from security staff at Epic bar in the island's capital, Palma, who said a "big man" was throwing bottles and bar stools at them, Majorca Daily Bulletin reports.

Vunipola spoke to the allegations about midday on Monday, stating: "I can confirm I was involved in an unfortunate misunderstanding when I was leaving a club in Mallorca on Sunday, which got out of hand.

"Contrary to media reports, there was no violence, no fight and I did not threaten anybody at any stage, with bottles or chairs or anything else."

The Saracen No.8 was said to have been unaffected by the first Taser police used on him while trying to resolve the situation.

A National Police spokesman said: "It hit him in his wallet which meant it didn’t discharge as it hadn’t hit his muscles.

"The two prongs have to land on someone’s body to send out electricity and because the wallet got in the way the stun gun didn’t discharge."

The premises were evacuated before Vunipola allegedly challenged the officers and flexed his muscles.

Cops eventually overpowered the 6ft2in-tall player, who weighs nearly 20th, and handcuffed him after tasering him a second time.

It took eight cops, as well as the taser shots, to subdue him.

Vunipola was taken to the nearby hospital Son Espases, where he was reportedly sedated and strapped to his bed.

Security guards and cops had to watch over the sports star until the medication took effect, reports claimed.

Epic owner Toni Rocha said today that the rugby player had caused problems after arriving at the bar just before 3 am on Sunday and "became worse" when he saw police officers arrive on the scene.

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