SYDNEY: Former Australian opener David Warner, who captained Sydney Thunder, has been questioned after pleading guilty to drink-driving in the middle distance.
Warner did not appear in Waverley Local Court on Wednesday, where his lawyer Bobby Hill pleaded guilty to an incident on Easter Sunday.
“The parties are in dispute as to the facts,” Hill told the court.
The 39-year-old returned a positive roadside alcohol test after being stopped by police in Sydney’s eastern suburbs on April 5. A subsequent breathalyzer at Maroubra Police Station showed a blood alcohol reading of 0.104 – more than twice the legal limit.
Hill previously indicated Warner wanted to plead guilty when the matter was first brought up in May.
“He knows what he did was wrong,” Hill said at the time. “He accepts that it was a reckless and stupid decision to get into his car instead of taking an Uber.”
According to the prosecutor, Warner consumed three glasses of alcohol at a friend’s apartment before driving off, and had his last drink 11 minutes before he was stopped by police.
Hill said Warner is deeply remorseful and will seek leniency in sentencing while he expects to be treated like any other citizen. The court is scheduled to sentence Warner on August 18.
The Sydney Thunder have raised allegations of uncertainty over Warner’s future as captain. The Big Bash League franchise is yet to comment on the development
Following Warner’s arrest earlier this year, Cricket NSW chief executive Lee German described the allegations as “relevant”.
“At Cricket NSW, we are strong advocates for safe driving and not drink-driving,” German said.
The Sydney Thunder, Sydney Sixers and NSW Blues are all involved in a New South Wales government campaign aimed at discouraging drink driving.
Warner was arrested shortly after returning from the subcontinent where he captained Karachi Kings in the Pakistan Super League.
The former Australia batsman was initially banned for life for his role in the 2018 ball-tampering scandal in South Africa. That sanction was lifted in 2024, paving the way for his appointment as Sydney Thunder captain later that year.