Danny Cipriani issues 'heartfelt' personal apology on Twitter

Danny Cipriani has issued a personal apology following his arrest and subsequent guilty plea following an incident at Jersey nightclub yesterday.

Cipriani pleaded guilty to charges of common assault and resisting arrest after an incident at a Jersey nightclub in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

The England international fly-half, who completed a move from Wasps to Gloucester ahead of the upcoming season, was initially hit with five charges, including larceny, assault on police and being disorderly on licensed premises.

The latter three charges were dropped at a hearing at Jersey Magistrates Court on Thursday, where Cipriani was ordered to pay a £2,000 fine and £250 in compensation.

This afternoon he took to Twitter to personally apologise.

“I want to start with a heartfelt apology. To my club, teammates, supporters and most importantly the police. They have a tough and vital job and I’m mortified that, earlier this week, I acted in a way that I hugely regret.

“I am truly sorry."

“I would also like to put on record the words of the Magistrate Sarah Fitz who publicly stated that ‘it was a minor incident’ and ‘a fine is more than sufficient’.

“I was wrong to argue with a bouncer, and pull on his camera tie. I was also wrong to resist arrest. This is why I pleaded guilty to these two charges and all other charges were dropped by the prosecution.

“I was initially confused as to why I was being arrested by three officers. This led me to react in the wrong manner for a matter of seconds, seeking to hold off the police officers rather than accepting their decision. It goes without saying, given the words of the Magistrate, that I didn’t strike anyone or initiate aggression in any way.

“I was on a team night out with the whole squad. I am grateful to the club, who have been fully supportive.

“I would like to publicly thank the Magistrate and the police and, once again, apologise both to them and to the public.”

Earlier today Gloucester issued a second statement on the matter.

“Danny is very remorseful after the incident and would like to thank those who supported him during this time. He fully accepts the outcome and his punishment from the judicial system this morning,” read a statement from Gloucester.

“We are very proud of the culture we have within the group and the stated values which we strive to deliver against,” added Gloucester CEO Stephen Vaughan.