David Warner Drunk Driving: After being detained in April, former Australian cricketer David Warner was found guilty of drunk driving and fined A$1,500 ($1,065) by a Sydney court on Tuesday.
One of Australia’s most renowned cricket players, Warner, entered a guilty plea after failing a breathalyzer test over the Easter weekend while driving his family home from a social event in Sydney’s eastern suburbs.
The 39-year-old’s blood-alcohol reading was more than twice the legal limit. Waverley Local Court heard Warner stopped his car when he saw the roadside breath-testing site and attempted to swap seats with a female passenger.
Will David Warner be Jailed For Drunk-Driving?
No, David Warner will not face any jail term for drunk-driving. The former Australian batter is required to pay a fine of 1,500 Australian dollars. “I accept Mr Warner is unlikely to re-offend,” Judge Clare Farnan told the court in comments published by Australian media.
“(But) regrettably, drink-driving is still a significant factor in many crashes in New South Wales.”
The offence was aggravated because children were in the car at the time, Farnan said.
Why Was David Warner Not Jailed For Drunk Driving?
Warner, who played 112 tests and over 250 limited-overs internationals for Australia, will need to fit an interlock device in his car which will prevent it from starting if it detects alcohol in his system.
Before Farnan’s decision, Warner’s lawyer told the court his client should be spared conviction because he had suffered extra punishment as a result of media coverage.
“Commercial opportunities (are) being affected,” Australian media quoted Awais Ahmad as saying.
Warner works for Fox Sports Australia as a commentator and was part of the local broadcaster’s team covering the recent Australia-Bangladesh test in Darwin.
Will David Warner be Stripped Off His Captaincy at Sydney Thunder?
He is captain of Big Bash League team Sydney Thunder, which is part of a New South Wales state government campaign to deter drink-driving. Cricket New South Wales (NSW) did not comment on Warner’s position as Thunder captain when contacted by Reuters on Tuesday.
“Our organisation is a strong advocate of safe driving, including avoiding drink driving,” Cricket NSW said in a statement. “We continue to take this incident seriously, including educating all players on the importance of safe driving.”