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David Warner Drunk Driving Case: David Warner admits to drink-driving charge; Sydney Thunder captaincy in jeopardy
Trouble seems to be mounting for former Australian opening batsman David Warner. Warner has pleaded guilty in a Sydney court to a 'mid-range drink-driving' charge stemming from an incident in April. While Warner did not appear in person at the Waverley Local Court hearing, his lawyer, Bobby Hill, confirmed the guilty plea. Sentencing in the case is scheduled for August 18.
What is the case about?
The incident occurred on April 5, when police stopped David Warner during a routine check in Sydney. After an initial test returned a positive result, he was taken to Maroubra Police Station. Subsequent testing revealed that his blood-alcohol level was more than double the legal limit (0.104).
"He should have taken an Uber, not driven": Lawyer's statement
In court, Warner's lawyer, Bobby Hill, acknowledged that his client had made a mistake.
"He is well aware that what he did was wrong. He has admitted that choosing to drive instead of taking an Uber was a foolish and negligent decision." — Bobby Hill (David Warner's lawyer)
The lawyer added, somewhat wryly, that having a drink on Easter isn't a crime, but the real offense lay in choosing to drive after drinking (Plan A) rather than opting for a safer alternative (Plan B).
Uncertainty Looms Over Sydney Thunder Captaincy in BBL
Due to this entire controversy, clouds of uncertainty have begun to hover over his captaincy of the Sydney Thunder team in the Big Bash League (BBL).
What is both interesting and concerning is that teams such as Sydney Thunder, Sydney Sixers, and New South Wales Blues are brand partners in the state government's anti-drink-driving campaign.
Expressing concern over the incident, Cricket New South Wales CEO Lee Germon said:
"The allegations are certainly serious, and we are treating them with the utmost seriousness. Cricket NSW advocates for safe driving, not drink-driving." He indicated that a final decision regarding whether to remove Warner from the captaincy or retain him would be made following the court's final verdict.
