Rugby star Booth ‘exposed himself’

RUGBY star Gareth Thomas told a French court yesterday how a former team-mate stripped off in a bar, stood on a table and exhibited his genitals.

The Wales captain and three other former Bridgend RFC players are facing magistrates in Pau, France, accused of the equivalent of violent affray. Thomas, 31, Andy Moore, 31, former coach Richard Webster, 38, and Phil Booth, 29, were at the El Barrio nightclub in Lescar, near Pau, three years ago after Bridgend had lost to Pau in a cup clash.

Magistrates today heard Booth drunkenly exhibited himself while standing on the bar downstairs in the club before being pulled down by team-mates.

He failed to turn up in court, citing an important business meeting. His former team-mates, including Thomas, now with Toulouse, all gave evidence confirming Booth did this.

Booth is accused of sexual exhibitionism and sexual assault on Celine Arnaud. He and his former team-mates are also accused of violent affray, a charge they deny.

His former team-mates told of the incident where Booth was naked in the bar but denied any knowledge of the alleged sexual assault.

Booth is alleged to have touched Ms Arnaud’s butttocks, legs, and lower body in the club’s disco. Her boyfriend, Jean-Michel Gonthier, says he was later thrown down the stairs and kicked and punched by the players. When Ms Arnaud tried to intervene, she was punched repeatedly.

Thomas said he saw Mr Gonthier strike Booth first.

Despite later being identified as one of the attackers he claimed not to have thrown a punch.