Former England rugby star Marland Yarde has revealed he contemplated taking his own life after being falsely accused of rape by an escort, a court heard.
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The 32-year-old winger was left jobless and forced to leave Sale Sharks after sex worker Sandra Ntonya, 44, falsely claimed he had assaulted a teenage girl.
"The Justified Hooker" targeted Yarde for 14 months
Ntonya – who brands herself "The Justified Hooker" – stalked Yarde for over a year, repeatedly calling him a "rapist" on social media.
Her allegations led to Yarde's arrest, and while no charges were ever brought, the damage was already done.
Yarde was driven to the brink
In Manchester Crown Court, prosecutor Jack Troup laid out the devastating toll the accusations took on Yarde’s life.
"Mr Yarde is a well-known rugby union player and he explains the impact of those repeated social media posts on him," Troup said.
"He reports his mental health suffering and seeking the assistance of a psychiatrist.
"He reports contemplating suicide as a result of being repeatedly referred to as a rapist."
Yarde was forced to leave England to play rugby in France, which meant cutting ties with several charities he previously supported.
"As a result, he had to terminate his relationship with a number of charities in England as it was not feasible to support them," Troup added.
The move also shattered his family life, forcing him to live apart from his young daughter.
"He had to live in a separate country to his daughter. He decided not to relocate her to France but for her to remain with her mother. That caused him significant difficulties."
Ntonya walks free despite admitting her lies
Despite admitting she lied and repeatedly apologising, Ntonya avoided jail.
She was handed a 20-month suspended sentence, with the judge ruling that an immediate prison term would negatively impact her young son.
For Yarde, however, the damage has already been done.
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QUIZ: Can You Name the England XV that Won the 2020 Six Nations?
England last won the Six Nations in 2020, in what was a crowning achievement during the Eddie Jones era. Coming off the back of the 2019 Rugby World Cup Final heartbreak, England bounced back to win their seventh Six Nations title since the competition's Italian expansion in 2000.
England secured the trophy with a win in Rome, as they handed Italy a one-sided 34-5 bonus point defeat. We are challenging you to remember who started for England that day, as the match was played in front of an empty stadium during the Covid-19 Pandemic.
You have five minutes to provide your answers, good luck!
