Just moments after Israel Adesanya left an Auckland courtroom yesterday, avoiding a conviction for drink driving after arguing it would cripple his career, a surreptitious photo was taken of the police prosecutor who had opposed the discharge request. 

That photo was posted on the UFC star’s public Instagram account, which is followed by 8.5 million people, accompanied by demeaning lyrics from a Big Sean song. 

“You little stupid a** bitch, I ain’t f***in’ with you,” the rap lyrics began as video played of media photographers leaving the courthouse followed by the still photo of the prosecutor. 

“You little, you little dumb ...” it continued before cutting off abruptly. 

Now the minute-long social media post, which includes images of Adesanya in a car, walking to court, inside the courtroom and leaving again, could see the former middleweight MMA champion in more hot water, just as he was about to put his previous legal woes behind him. 

Responding to a query from the Herald today, a police spokesperson said officers were aware of the incident “and will liaise with the Court, which is responsible for security, about any next steps”. The post was a hot topic of discussion this morning among some Auckland District Court regulars. 

Adesanya has declined to comment. 

The photos and footage - posted as an Instagram Story, which is designed to disappear after 24 hours - were taken down soon after the Herald sought comment from Adesanya’s lawyer. 

They also featured multiple photos from inside the courtroom, including court staff. They appeared to be taken from the vantage point of the courtroom gallery, where several of Adesanya’s supporters sat yesterday. 

The Herald has opted to not republish photos from inside the courtroom. It is against court rules in New Zealand to take photos or video from within a courtroom without a judge’s permission, a Ministry of Justice spokesperson confirmed today. 

The former two-time middleweight champion, who lives in the Auckland suburb of Remuera, first appeared in the Auckland District Court in September, two weeks after his high-profile Sydney bout with American fighter Sean Strickland. He pleaded guilty immediately to having been over the legal limit on the night of August 19, when he was stopped at a checkpoint in Auckland Central. 

He returned to court yesterday for what would have been a sentencing hearing had Judge Peter Winter not granted him a discharge without conviction. 

Defence lawyer Karl Trotter noted during the hearing that, while Adesanya admits he is getting towards the “tail end” of his fighting career, his client is still keeping in top shape and would like to fight in Canada some time this year if allowed to by the court. A conviction, he argued, would make travelling to Canada much more difficult. 

UFC star Israel Adesanya stands in the dock in the Auckland District Court, seeking a discharge without conviction after pleading guilty to drink-driving. Photo / Jason Oxenham 

While the defence lawyer declined to cite specific dollar amounts in open court, he also indicated that his client stood to lose somewhere in the ballpark of hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of endorsement deals if convicted. 

Judge Winter commended Adesanya for his earliest possible guilty plea and for not trying to avoid accountability to his fans by seeking name suppression. He also cited the sportsman’s sterling career representing New Zealand and his lack of a criminal record, although Winter did acknowledge Adesanya previously received another discharge without conviction for driving while disqualified. 

Adesanya put his hand over his heart and loudly thanked the judge as yesterday’s hearing ended. He continued the praise on social media, writing on the Instagram Stories post: “34 years young and no criminal record, I’m grateful the Judge used critical thinking and compassion on this one!” 

The statement was superimposed, however, over a photo from inside the courtroom before the judge took the bench showing the court registrar’s face and the back of the police prosecutor’s head. 

Several media outlets, including NZME, were granted permission by the judge to take photos and video of yesterday’s hearing. 

Craig Kapitan is an Auckland-based journalist covering courts and justice. He joined the Herald in 2021 and has reported on courts since 2002 in three newsrooms in the US and New Zealand.