Former Australian batsman David Warner has received an A$1,500 (£1,109) fine and has been ordered to put an alcohol interlock device in his car following his guilty plea to drink-driving charges in Sydney.
The 39-year-old was charged after failing a random breath test while operating his family vehicle on Tuesday when he was returning home from a social function on Easter Sunday. His blood alcohol concentration was above the legal limit and was reportedly over two times that limit.
The court heard that Warner had parked his car after he spotted a roadside breath-testing operation and had tried to trade seats with a woman passenger in the car. But police spotted the car.
Judge Clare Farnan said that Warner was unlikely to offend again but warned of the gravity of drunk-driving. The offence was made worse by children being in the car, the court added.
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Warner will be required to put an alcohol interlock device on his car as part of his punishment. The system will stop the car from starting when alcohol is found in the driver’s breath.
Warner’s defence had requested the court not to record the conviction, citing that he had already faced other repercussions due to media attention, including repercussions on his commercial prospects.
Warner retired from international cricket in 2024 and is now a commentator for Fox Sports Australia.
He also captains the Pakistan Super League side “Karachi Kings” and Big Bash League team “Sydney Thunder.”
Authorities stated that they were taking the incident seriously and were committed to encouraging safe driving habits among cricketers.
Warner ended his international career with 6,932 ODI and 8,786 Test runs for Australia.
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