A top female triathlete has formally complained to police about being harassed by a drunk and abusive Zac Guildford and says she will not let the matter be "brushed under the carpet".
Kelly Pick (29), a New Zealander who lives in Rarotonga, was out for a 31km run last Friday afternoon when she came across All Black Guildford, drunk and yelling sexually offensive insults.
She said she feared for her safety and hid in a dairy after being followed down the street.
"I was running along and a couple of guys on motorbikes were driving erratically and dangerously past me.
"Then one turned around and drove back and forth past me yelling profanities and yelling pretty inappropriate things to me." Pick instantly recognised him as Guildford.
"They were quite clearly intoxicated by the way he was driving and behaving. He probably went past about six times calling out these inappropriate things to me to the point where I did start to get quite concerned about his behaviour."
His mates rode away but he kept coming back and kept up with the insults.
She went into the dairy and pretended to buy a drink so he would leave her alone. However, Guildford did not leave for some time.
"He was clearly intoxicated but that's not an excuse to make people feel unsafe and to make such derogatory comments. It wasn't cool.
"I guess the sad thing about this case is that he's apologised in the past for his behaviour and it just keeps happening. I would like to see some repercussions and have some consequences for his actions just so he learns that it is not appropriate." Pick said she did not know what punishment she wanted, only that Guildford be "held accountable for his actions", which is why she made a complaint to police.
Guildford's representative, All Blacks psychologist Gilbert Enoka, yesterday contacted Pick to arrange a meeting.
She did not know what to feel about the meeting but wanted it to happen so she could tell him the sort of behaviour she had experienced was unacceptable.
"I don't know who will benefit more from it - me or him."
Today, Guildford is also due to meet others he offended.
Guildford's drinking began mid-morning on Thursday with beer and tequila, a source told the Herald. The day that ended so badly began at the Muri Boating Club where Guildford downed lager and shots before noon.
Police took a statement from Pick yesterday and told her they would be in touch.
"We don't appreciate bringing [the behaviour] to our beautiful paradise and treating people like that. Just because he is a high-profile person doesn't mean he can get away with that sort of stuff," she said. It was the first time she had experienced something like that in Rarotonga.
"Generally, I feel safe. All the Cook Island people and local people are really tolerant. Triathletes are out training all the time, biking and running on the roads, and usually we feel very safe."
Superintendent Aka Matapo said Guildford would be spoken to but could not say when that would happen.
Matapo told the Herald police were still gathering the facts before they could interview Guildford. However, he conceded officers did not know where Guildford was staying.
Guildford was free to leave the country despite the complaint because "we haven't got enough to hold him".
- Andrew Koubaridis
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