Radio host claims Roebuck acted inappropriately with him

Nov 15, 2011

Melbourne: Late cricket writer Peter Roebuck‘s mysterious personal life has become a subject of speculation after his suicide in South Africa with a radio host claiming that the celebrated journalist made him feel “uncomfortable” and acted “inappropriately” during an interaction.

Triple M radio host Gus Worland, who was a rookie cricketer in the Somerset team captained by Roebuck, claims that the incident happened during a 1985 English county season.

Peter Roebuck

Late cricket writer Peter Roebuck's mysterious personal life has become a subject of speculation after his suicide in South Africa. AFP

Worland said he and Roebuck were having dinner at a restaurant when the noted writer started asking him some personal questions. Worland was 18 at the time.

“I picked up a vibe from him and it made me feel very uncomfortable. He was talking in a way that was very inappropriate. I didn’t know how to handle it,” Worland told ‘Daily Telegraph’. “That has always stayed with me,” he added.

Roebuck plunged to death from the sixth floor room of his hotel in South Africa where he had gone to cover the Test series between Australia and the Proteas.

Unconfirmed reports have stated that Roebuck was being questioned for alleged sexual assault when he took the extreme step.

Worland described the mysterious circumstances of Roebuck’s death as “a bit of a strange”.

PTI

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