This is the moment England rugby star Billy Vunipola laughed after police tried to Taser him during a wild incident inside a late-night bar in Majorca.
Witnesses told today how the 6ft 2in 20-stone giant appeared unfazed by the first stun gun shot, although police admitted today it hadn’t discharged and the player was only knocked to the ground when police fired at him a second time.
Vunipola, 31, was arrested and taken to hospital by ambulance with a police guard following the drama in the early hours of Sunday morning at Epic bar in the island capital Palma.
He was later hauled in front of a judge for questioning before being released on conditional bail pending an ongoing probe. His whereabouts this morning was unclear.
Today bar owner Toni Rocha praised police and his doormen for the way they had resolved a ‘very difficult’ and ‘very tense’ situation.
Denying local reports the rugby player had threatened customers and staff with bottles and chairs, but confirming he had caused problems and had confronted police when they arrived, he said: ‘Far from calming down when he saw the police he became worse.
Billy Vunipola laughs after police tried to taser him inside a late-night bar in Majorca
Witnesses told today how the 6ft 2in 20-stone giant appeared unfazed by the first stun gun shot, although police admitted today it hadn’t discharged and the player was only knocked to the ground when police fired at him a second time
Vunipola, 31, was arrested and taken to hospital by ambulance with a police guard following the incident (pictured)
‘I heard him insult police and say ‘F**king cops’ at one point and there was another moment where he had his shirt off and hit an officer in the face with the top in his hand as the officer tried to reason with him.’
Giving a blow-by-blow account of the night’s events, Mr Rocha said: ‘He arrived just before 3am on Sunday morning with a friend who I believe is also a rugby player.
‘I know they’d been drinking in the Santa Catalina neighbourhood before they came here because a waiter who we know who works in a bar there and was in on Saturday night told us.
‘It was just Billy and his friend but when they ordered the first round they asked for six Amarettos with orange juice and freshly squeezed lime.
‘I know because I served them. I’m pretty sure they drank them between the two of them, with Billy having four and the friend the other two.
‘The friend was fine but Billy started becoming a problem as he became drunker. I had to ask him to put his top on at one point when he took it off while he was at the bar.
‘The first time I asked him to put his shirt on he was propping himself up at the bar with his elbows and he was drinking from one of the glasses I’d poured him and had another three drinks in a triangle in front of him.
‘He didn’t threaten customers or staff with bottles or bar stalls or anything like that but he was annoying other customers by pushing them, not in a violent way, but elbowing them and bothering them.
‘He put his shirt on when I asked him to first time round. His friend who was co-operative at all times helped him put it back on. But then he took it off a second time and then a third and we decided to call police.
‘I’d already got the doormen involved to try to get him to leave and his friend was assisting us but there was just no way we could get him to abandon the premises and the situation was becoming very tense and we saw we were going to have a problem if we tried to use physical force to get him out.
‘I warned his friend I was going to call police and he said: ‘Do what you have to do.’ ‘We thought he was going to calm down when he saw uniformed officers arrive but when the first police appeared on the scene he confronted them and they had to call for back-up.
‘It was around 4am and we still had more than an hour left before we were supposed to close.
‘When the back-up arrived the police told us to clear the bar, put the lights on and cut the music.
‘The rugby player reacted by confronting the officers when they went to talk to him and insult them. I heard him saying ‘f***ing cops’. He also hit one of them with his shirt in his hand.
‘They tried to get him out and couldn’t until they tasered him. He laughed the first time they went to taser him, it was like a film, and I heard the words ”another one” and the second time round he fell to the ground and the officers immobilised him and put wrist-ties on him.’
England rugby international Billy Vunipola has been arrested following a violent incident in a Majorca pub which saw police taser him twice – picture shows his arrival at court in Palma
England rugby international Billy Vunipola has been arrested after a violent incident at a pub
He added: ‘We’re considering filing a formal complaint because between the hour or more we had to close at what is normally a really busy time of the night and the drinks that were unpaid for when we had to clear the premises, we’ve lost more than £2,000.
‘He was the only reason we had to clear the premises. The first and second time his friend helped him put his shirt back on and I got security involved after that. My doormen handled the situation very well and the police also.
‘It could have turned out very different and ended very badly because we were dealing with a strong man who was very drunk and was acting inappropriately and refusing requests for him to leave.
‘We felt things could have got broken or he could have assaulted someone if we tried to force him out.
‘I didn’t feel frightened, it was more a feeling of impotence that we couldn’t get him to abandon the premises. But some clients, especially women clients, were feeling frightened and very uncomfortable.
‘I discovered the friend was also a rugby player, a teammate of his I think, when the police were talking to him.
‘The police were on the scene very quickly and the ambulance arrived later. He was taken away on a stretcher and he was calm by that point.
‘He was talking in English and I think he was asking to be left alone but I couldn’t understand very well what he was saying.’
The 6ft 2in tall professional, who weighs nearly 20 stone, is said to have been unaffected by the first taser volt police used on him after clearing the bar. Pictured with police
Police stormed the Epic bar in Palma to subdue Vunipola using two rounds of taser
Toni’s business partner Janek Krause added: ‘He was very drunk and got aggressive.
‘He didn’t attack any customers or pick up bottles or any chairs but he was taking his shirt off when that’s not allowed in our bar and refusing requests to leave. The police arrived very quickly. There must have been around 12 officers in the end.
‘They cleared the premises and ended up using the taser as a last resort because he was becoming more antagonistic and wouldn’t leave.
‘It was done to avoid a situation which could have ended up with things being broken or him lashing out at someone with his fists. He was a very big guy with big muscles and a massive back.
‘Our two doormen tried to reason with him before the police were called but it was impossible. He laughed after the first taser shot and only went down after the second.’
Vunipola, a rugby union number eight for Saracens in Premiership Rugby, was taken to nearby Son Espases Hospital after being held where he had to be sedated and bound to his bed.
Until the medication took effect several security guards and police officers had to watch over him.
He was taken to court on Sunday, wearing the same blue T-shirt and beige shorts he was arrested in, following the incident in the early hours.
His whereabouts today was unclear but he is understood to have been released on bail pending an ongoing investigation.
Vunipola has played 75 times for the England rugby team over the past 11 years
Vunipola cools off in the ocean during the England recovery session at Coogee Beach in 2016
Vunipola walks down the beach to the Atlantic Ocean during the England recovery session held Praia da Falesia on November 2, 2016, in Vilamoura
A spokesman for the National Police in Majorca, in their first formal comment on the arrest, said: ‘In the early hours of yesterday morning, at 4.30am, we arrested a 31-year-old foreign man on suspicion of a crime of disobedience and assaulting a police officer.
‘The events took place in a leisure establishment on the seafront in Palma, when a man was causing altercations inside the establishment.
‘The man would not listen to reason and confronted the rest of the customers, and the security staff were unable to restrain him or remove him from the premises.
‘The police were alerted and the officers, on seeing the man, who was shirtless and making gestures with his hands, cleared the premises.
‘It was then that he confronted the police and attempted to assault the officers.
Vunipola takes a dip in the ocean during the England recovery session held at St. Kilda Beach on June 15, 2016 in Melbourne, Australia
Vunipola seen at the 2023 Rugby World Cup match between England and South Africa at Stade de France on October 21, 2023 in Paris
‘The police officers tried at all times to get him to calm down, but the man would not listen to reason.
‘At that moment, the man pushed and slapped an officer and a policeman pulled out his electric stun gun and fired a first time although the gun didn’t discharge.
‘A second projectile was then fired, which did the job, and it was then that the officers jumped on him and proceeded to immobilise him by shackling him, later taking him to Son Espases hospital for assessment and arrest.
‘Yesterday afternoon he was taken to court and released on bail pending an ongoing investigation.
A Saracens club statement read: ‘Saracens is aware of an incident involving Billy Vunipola in Majorca.
‘We will of course deal with this incident internally, and will not make any further comment until then.’
The bar where Vunipola was tasered was closed early this morning.
Vunipola during the Gallagher Premiership Rugby match between Sale Sharks and Saracens at the AJ Bell Stadium on December 22, 2023 in Salford
Vunipola seen playing for Saracens in their Premiership Rugby match against Bath on Friday
The rugby player spent his childhood in Wales and the south west of England after emigrating to the UK.
He won a scholarship to attend the prestigious Harrow School and whilst there, was picked by Wasps Academy where he made his senior debut aged 18.
Vunipola featured 30 times in two seasons before signing for current club Saracens.
He made his debut for England on the 2013 Summer Tour of Argentina. He has since amassed nearly 80 caps.
His father and uncle both played for Tonga. His cousin Taupe Faletau has been capped by Wales and British and Irish Lions.
Speaking previously about 2019, the year England were beaten in the World Cup final by South Africa, he said: ‘I was very, very ahead of myself back then.
‘We had just won the double with Saracens. I had played really well in the semi-final and final and knew I was going to be in the England squad (going to the World Cup in Japan).
Vunipola apologised for his immature behaviour ahead of the 2019 World Cup in Japan
Vunipola suffered knee injury with Saracens during the Heineken Champions Cup last year
‘I had a conversation with Steve about rugby after training when we were in Treviso. I said a few things that were out of line. I said some things that never should have been said to Steve in that way, but also in front of other people.
‘We had already had conversations about my rugby in January and it is important to say that I don’t believe it had anything to do with me not playing in the Six Nations.
‘But I felt it was important to address the issue and actually apologise to Steve, having matured a little bit. I just wanted to let him know I was sorry because I am.
‘He should never have been in that situation where I’ve made him feel like I was patronising towards him. Especially as an elder, not just the coach but someone who’s older than me. It was very disrespectful what I did to Steve.’
Last year, Vunipola was banned for three matches, suspended for a dangerous high tackle, from the start of the Rugby World Cup.
Vunipola was sent off against Ireland in Dublin, following a bunker review on his high shot on prop Andrew Porter.
Billy Vunipola missed England’s first two Rugby World Cup matches after being hit with a ban
Vunipola (left) was punished for his high tackle on Ireland prop Andrew Porter (right)
Facing an independent disciplinary panel, Vunipola admitted that he had committed an act of foul play worthy of a red card.
World Rugby’s mandatory minimum mid-range entry point for foul play resulting in head contact is six weeks but, represented by Richard Smith KC, Vunipola’s ban was halved to three.
The verdict stated: ‘Having acknowledged mitigating factors including his exemplary previous record, immediate apology and remorse, and noted the absence of any aggravating factors, the committee reduced the six week entry point by three weeks.’
The decision on Vunipola came after Farrell was banned for four matches following an appeal against the controversial ruling which overturned the England captain’s red card in the defeat to Wales.
