Sam Burgess: Former NRL player cleared of allegations he drove on suspended licence

A bleary-eyed Mr Burgess was beamed into Waverley Native Court docket on Thursday from northern England, the place he’s now teaching.

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When the South Sydney nice was stopped by police in Sydney’s Jap Suburbs within the lead as much as Christmas 2022, he had completed serving a 10-month licence suspension as a result of his poor driving file simply months earlier.

He had initially examined optimistic for a roadside breath take a look at, however subsequent testing cleared him of getting any medicine in his system.

The twin worldwide was additionally charged with driving on a suspended licence when his black BMW was pulled over at Kingsford on December 22, 2022.

Nevertheless Justice of the Peace Jacqueline Milledge on Thursday accepted he had a “cheap” perception he was okay to drive.

She mentioned she accepted Mr Burgess had an trustworthy and cheap perception that he was licensed.

“The matter is dismissed,” Ms Milledge mentioned, to the clear aid of Mr Burgess, who had stayed up previous 3am to tune into proceedings.

She mentioned she was completely satisfied to see he had tried to show round his poor driving file and implored him to maintain a clear file from right here on out.

“And get off your cell phone,” Ms Milledge mentioned, in reference to Mr Burgess’ file of utilizing his cell phone whereas driving.

“I can promise you that,” Mr Burgess mentioned.

The courtroom was performed police body-worn footage of the second a shocked Mr Burgess was knowledgeable by a senior constable his licence had been suspended a month earlier.

Mr Burgess, having taken up the top teaching position with UK Tremendous League membership Warrington, appeared through videolink from the opposite facet of the world, the place it was 1am by the point he gave proof.

The courtroom heard that months previous to Mr Burgess being pulled over in December 2021, he had served a 10-month licence suspension which expired in October that yr.

Nevertheless when an officer ran his licence plate, it revealed that his driver’s licence had as soon as once more been suspended.

In a convoluted set of circumstances, the courtroom heard that Mr Burgess’ licence had as soon as once more been suspended – however for 5 offences which occurred one yr and 9 months earlier.

To additional complicate issues, he was issued with a suspension discover on November 14, 2022 – nonetheless Mr Burgess advised the courtroom he didn’t obtain it at his Little Bay handle.

His high-profile solicitor Bryan Wrench argued earlier than the courtroom that his shopper had an “trustworthy and cheap” perception that it was authorized for him to get behind the wheel of his automobile.

The body-worn footage confirmed police pulling over Mr Burgess in his black BMW and telling him that his licence was suspended due to demerit factors.

“No approach,” Mr Burgess says as he defined to the officer that he had served a earlier suspension interval however was beneath the impression he was free to drive once more.

“I simply had a 10-month suspension, I simply acquired it again,” he mentioned.

The courtroom heard that Mr Burgess handed the senior constable a screenshot of his Providers NSW profile from October 2021 which confirmed he was free to drive and had zero demerit factors.

Ms Milledge mentioned that Mr Burgess had an “atrocious” driving historical past – together with utilizing his cellphone whereas driving – however the courtroom heard it was accepted by either side he had an “trustworthy” perception he may drive.

He advised the courtroom that he was residing at Coffs Harbour on the time his suspension ended and visited the Roads and Maritime Providers workplace to substantiate his suspension had ended on 6 November 2022, in addition to making checks on his Providers NSW profile.

“On 22 December 2022, did you ever obtain at that cut-off date any notification of a suspension,” Mr Wrench requested.

“No,” Mr Burgess mentioned.

“Did you imagine that you simply’d been suspended for some other offences in 2021,” Mr Wrench requested.

“No,” Mr Burgess mentioned.

The police prosecution argued that it was not “cheap” for Mr Burgess to have believed he was nonetheless licensed.

However Ms Milledge mentioned in her judgment that Mr Burgess was caught up in a “labyrinth” of a system which confused him.

“All the things that he mentioned he did to get his licence again, I settle for that he did it,” Ms Milledge mentioned.

Ms Milledge was complimentary of the police. However in scathing feedback, she mentioned the officer in command of the investigation tried to get an RMS consultant to come back to courtroom to clarify the scenario however was met with “crickets”.

“Nothing – they didn’t get again to him,” she mentioned.

She put the blame for the saga on the ft of the system.

“They have to be slightly extra person pleasant … Mr Burgess is a residing instance of that,” Ms Milledge mentioned.

“He goes into the web site and it tells him he has no issues.”