Former Australian cricketer David Warner has been found guilty of driving while over twice the legal limit of alcohol and has been fined A$1,500.
Warner, 39, pleaded guilty in Sydney’s Waverley Local Court on Tuesday over the incident, which took place over the Easter weekend in April.
Warner was driving home with his family from a party in Sydney’s east when he was stopped at a roadside alcohol test point.
The court heard that Warner stopped his car after seeing the checkpoint and tried to swap seats with a female passenger before police arrived.
A subsequent test showed his blood alcohol level was 0.104, more than double the legal limit of 0.05. The offence was considered more serious because there were young children in the vehicle at the time.
Judge Claire Fannon found Warner guilty and fined him A$1,500. He was also ordered to use an ‘Alcohol Interlock’ device in his car for 12 months. The device prevents the vehicle from starting if it detects alcohol on the driver’s breath.
Warner’s lawyer had asked for the case to be dismissed without conviction, saying the former Australian opener had already faced severe public criticism and that the incident could affect his commercial opportunities.
However, the court stressed the need to prevent drink-driving and said it was unlikely Warner would repeat the offence.
Warner has played 112 Tests and more than 250 limited-overs internationals for Australia. He currently works as a cricket commentator and captains the Sydney Thunder in the Big Bash League.
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