Saracens No 8 Billy Vunipola has been involved in an incident in Majorca over the weekend
Saracens and England star Billy Vunipola was reportedly tasered twice before being arrested by Spanish police in Majorca after an incident in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Spanish outlet Ultima Hora reports that Vunipola was tasered at Epic Palma, a bar in the island’s capital, after security staff called the police with the No 8 said to have been visibly annoyed and displaying threatening behaviour, something he has since denied, having removed his shirt at 4.30am.
Vunipola, who is 6ft 2in and weighs around 20st, was reportedly unaffected by the first taser shot before being handcuffed following the second. He is then said to have been taken to the local Son Espases Hospital where it’s suggested he was sedated and bound to his bed. He was pictured and filmed arriving at court on Sunday.
Vunipola has since described the incident as a “misfortunate understanding” and denied there was any violence or threatening behaviour. He revealed he has paid a fine of 240 euros (£205) for “resisting the law” and is returning to the UK today.
The full statement, released at midday on Monday, read: “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.
“I was charged with resisting the law and following an ‘express trial’, I have paid a fine of 240 euros. The Spanish police investigation is now closed and I am flying back to the UK today.
“I will obviously cooperate with the Saracens internal process and unreservedly apologise for any inconvenience to all involved.”
Vunipola, 31, came off the bench in Saracens’ 15-12 victory over Bath on Friday night before jetting off to the Spanish island, reportedly with the whole squad for a social, with his club not in action in this weekend’s Investec Champions Cup semi-finals having already been knocked out of the competition.
Billy Vunipola tasered, according to reports
A spokesman for the National Police in Majorca did not name Vunipola but issued the following statement: “In the early hours of (Sunday) morning, at 4.30am, we arrested a 31-year-old foreign man on suspicion of a crime of disobedience and assaulting a police officer.
“The events took place in a leisure establishment on the seafront in Palma, when a man was causing altercations inside the establishment.
“The man would not listen to reason and confronted the rest of the customers, and the security staff were unable to restrain him or remove him from the premises.
“The police were alerted and the officers, on seeing the man, who was shirtless and making gestures with his hands, cleared the premises. It was then that he confronted the police and attempted to assault the officers.
“The police officers tried at all times to get him to calm down, but the man would not listen to reason. At that moment, the man pushed and slapped an officer and a policeman pulled out his electric stun gun and fired a first time although the gun didn’t discharge.
“A second projectile was then fired, which did the job, and it was then that the officers jumped on him and proceeded to immobilise him by shackling him, later taking him to Son Espases hospital for assessment and arrest.
“(On Sunday) afternoon he was taken to court and released on bail pending an ongoing investigation. The identification of the alleged perpetrator cannot be provided in order to preserve his privacy.”
Earlier, Saracens released the following initial statement: “Saracens is aware of an incident involving Billy Vunipola in Majorca.
“We will of course deal with this incident internally, and will not make any further comment until then.”
The former Wasps man is set to leave Mark McCall’s side at the end of the season, with speculation rife that he is due to join Top 14 side Montpellier across the Channel. Vunipola has spent 11 years at the StoneX stadium while also racking up 75 England caps.
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