Former Connacht full-back Mils Muliaina cleared of sexual assault

Mils Muliaina has questioned the police's handling of his arrest last April after he was today cleared of sexual assault.

The World Cup winner was arrested in front of television cameras after Connacht's Challenge Cup quarter-final in Gloucester. His arrest came after an incident the previous month in a Cardiff nightclub, when a 19 year old woman complained her bottom was groped. Connacht had been playing a league match in Cardiff on the night in question. The British Crown Prosecution Service today decided not to continue with the case due to a lack of evidence. The 35-year-old Test centurion denied any wrongdoing from the outset. Muliaina, now with Italian PRO12 side Zebre, was pleased the case has been dropped but expressed his displeasure with the public manner of his arrest.

"It's been incredibly frustrating not to be able to publicly comment about it," said the full-back.

"While I understand the police have a job to do, the manner in which I was arrested I find difficult to understand.

"I can still hold my head up high and, as the judge said, this is no stain on my character. I have always known that I did not do anything wrong.

"I don't even know the woman and I don't know what happened, but I wasn't the person who had done what she said had happened," added Muliaina, who is relieved his ordeal is at an end.

"When I first found out the charges were going to be withdrawn I instantly thought of my son - he should have never have had to go through this."

Muliaina left Connacht in April after one injury-hit season and has yet to make his debut for Zebre.