Former Australian Test cricketer David Warner, 39, has been charged with mid-range drink driving following an incident in Sydney's eastern suburbs on Sunday, April 5.
Police allege Warner was driving a van on Malabar Road in Maroubra and stopped short of a random breath testing unit. Officers approached the vehicle and conducted a roadside breath test, which returned a positive result for alcohol. Warner was arrested and transported to Maroubra Police Station, where a secondary test allegedly recorded a blood alcohol reading of 0.104, more than double the legal limit of 0.05.
Court Proceedings
Warner's case was mentioned at Waverley Local Court on Thursday and was subsequently adjourned. He has not yet entered a plea. His lawyer, Bobby Hill, stated outside court that Warner intends to plead guilty at a later date.
According to some reports, Warner is scheduled to appear at Downing Centre Local Court in Sydney on May 7, while other reports indicate the matter is set to return to court on June 24.
Lawyer's Statement
"He acknowledged his actions were wrong and described the decision to drive instead of using a ride-sharing service as ‘reckless and foolish.’"
Outside court, Hill stated that Warner had consumed three glasses of wine at a friend's apartment prior to driving. He added that Warner's last drink was 11 minutes before he was pulled over, and that police took 52 minutes to administer the second breathalyzer test.
Consequences
Warner currently captains the Sydney Thunder in the Big Bash League (BBL). Cricket NSW chief executive Lee Germon said the allegations were "concerning" and stated that the organization "advocates safe driving." The charge has raised questions about Warner's continued captaincy of the Sydney Thunder.
Background
Warner retired from Test cricket in 2024. His Test career included 8,786 runs in 112 matches at an average of over 44. He was suspended for 12 months and banned from leadership positions for his role in the 2018 ball-tampering scandal in South Africa. He was also involved in a physical altercation in 2013.
At the time of his arrest, Warner was on a trip home after captaining the Karachi Kings in the Pakistan Super League (PSL). He reportedly returned to Pakistan after the charge to resume playing in the T20 tournament.