Auckland (The NZ Today)
Former Australian cricket star David Warner has been convicted and fined A$1,500 for drink-driving, after a Sydney court heard he attempted to switch seats with a female passenger when he spotted a roadside breath-testing checkpoint ahead.
The 39-year-old appeared before Waverley Local Court on Tuesday after earlier pleading guilty to mid-range drink-driving over the Easter Sunday incident. His alcohol reading was 0.104 — more than twice the legal limit.
According to the agreed facts presented to the court, Warner had been driving his family home from a social gathering in Sydney’s eastern suburbs after drinking three glasses of wine.
When he noticed the random breath-testing site, he stopped before reaching it and attempted to move from the driver’s seat and swap places with a female passenger. Police, however, identified Warner as the person who had been driving and he subsequently cooperated with testing.
The court also heard children were in the vehicle, something Judge Clare Farnan considered an aggravating factor when sentencing him.
Warner’s legal team had urged the court not to record a conviction, arguing the intense publicity surrounding the case had already caused significant damage to his reputation and could affect future commercial opportunities.
His barrister, Awais Ahmad, referred to international coverage of the case and raised concerns about the possible impact on Warner’s future involvement in overseas T20 competitions, including opportunities in India and Bangladesh.
The court nevertheless recorded a conviction and imposed the A$1,500 fine.
Warner will also have to use an alcohol interlock device for 12 months, meaning his vehicle will not start unless he first passes a breath test.
Judge Farnan accepted Warner was unlikely to offend again but stressed that drink-driving remained a serious contributor to crashes across New South Wales.
The case comes while Warner remains active in franchise cricket and broadcasting following his retirement from international cricket. He captains the Sydney Thunder in the Big Bash League and had been leading Karachi Kings in the Pakistan Super League when he returned to Australia around Easter.
