David Warner Fined, Ordered to Install Interlock Device After Drink-Driving Conviction

Former Australia batter David Warner has been fined A$1,500 (£1,109) and ordered to fit an alcohol interlock device to his vehicle after pleading guilty to drink-driving in Sydney last April.

The 39-year-old recorded a blood alcohol reading more than twice the legal limit when he was stopped at a random breath test while driving his family home from a social function on Easter Sunday.

Waverley Local Court heard Warner attempted to switch seats with a female passenger after spotting the roadside testing site. Appearing before the court on Tuesday, he was mandated to install the interlock device, which prevents the car from starting if alcohol is detected on the driver’s breath.

“I accept Mr Warner is unlikely to reoffend,” Magistrate Clare Farnan told the court. “But regrettably, drink-driving is still a significant factor in many crashes in New South Wales.”

The magistrate noted the offence was aggravated by the presence of children in the vehicle.

Warner’s legal team had argued for a non-conviction order, citing the additional punishment the cricketer had faced through intense media scrutiny, which they claimed had impacted his commercial opportunities.

Since retiring from international cricket in 2024, Warner has worked as a commentator for Fox Sports Australia and serves as captain for the Karachi Kings in the Pakistan Super League and the Sydney Thunder in the Big Bash League.

The Sydney Thunder are part of a New South Wales government campaign to deter drink-driving. Cricket NSW, which owns the Thunder franchise, released a statement emphasising the organisation’s commitment to safe driving.

“Our organisation is a strong advocate of safe driving, including avoiding drink-driving,” the statement read. “We continue to take this incident seriously, including educating all players on the importance of safe driving.”

Warner finished his international career with 8,786 runs at an average of 44.6 in 112 Tests, including 26 centuries, and 6,932 runs in 159 ODI innings with 22 hundreds.

Source link