David Warner fined $1,500 after drink-driving conviction

Former Australia batter David Warner has been convicted of mid-range drink-driving and fined $1,500 at Waverley Local Court in Sydney. Australian Associated Press, reporting through The Guardian, said the 39-year-old appeared in court on Tuesday after failing a breath test on Easter Sunday. The court was told his reading was more than twice the legal limit.

According to the agreed facts read in court, Warner stopped before a random breath-testing site and tried to exchange seats with a female passenger. Police identified him as the driver, after which he cooperated with testing. Warner had been returning home from the subcontinent, where he had captained Karachi Kings in the Pakistan Super League.

Warner's barrister, Awais Ahmad, asked the court not to record a conviction, arguing that worldwide reporting of the case had already created serious consequences. Ahmad said the attention could affect Warner's opportunities in overseas T20 competitions, including in India and Bangladesh, and told the court that his position as Sydney Thunder captain was also under threat.

Judge Clare Farnan acknowledged evidence that Warner and his wife, Candice, had faced cruel commentary on social media. However, she said the need to deter drink-driving remained paramount. The judge noted that more than 17,300 people had appeared before the court for mid-range drink-driving during the previous five years and said alcohol remained a significant factor in crashes across New South Wales.

The court also treated the presence of children in the car as an aggravating factor. Although Judge Farnan accepted that Warner was unlikely to offend again, she recorded the conviction and imposed the fine. Warner will be able to drive after applying for an interlock licence and having the device installed in his vehicle.

An alcohol interlock prevents a vehicle from starting when it detects alcohol in the driver's system. The case also intersects with Warner's domestic cricket role because Sydney Thunder, Sydney Sixers and the NSW Blues participate in a New South Wales government campaign aimed at discouraging drink-driving. No decision on Warner's Thunder captaincy was reported as part of Tuesday's court outcome.