Sacked Bradford Bulls star ‘flees country’ hours after rape charges

Former Bradford Bulls forward Keven Appo has fled the United Kingdom within hours of being charged with a string of offences including rape and sexual assault, a court has heard.

West Yorkshire Police confirmed last week that Appo had been charged following an incident that occurred last year. He was subsequently sacked by the Bulls, who confirmed that the Papua New Guinea international’s contract had been terminated with immediate effect.

Appo was charged with rape, sexual assault and two further counts of assault – and was bailed by West Yorkshire Police on November 26, Bradford Magistrates Court was told on Monday.

However, Appo did not attend court on Monday after the court heard that he had returned to his home country of Papua New Guiena within five hours of being charged in November.

Appo was given conditional bail at 4pm on November 26. By 8:40pm, he had boarded a flight from Manchester Airport to Dubai before then boarding a second, connecting flight that took him back to Papua New Guinea.

He reportedly gave his house and car keys back to the Bulls’ player manager after being charged.

The case Prosecutor, Fiona Newcombe, told the court that plans were now underway to extradite Appo back to the United Kingdom so that he can face the charges against him.