According to the Australian Associated Press, former Australian cricketer David Warner has been charged with mid-range drink driving after allegedly having more than twice the legal blood alcohol limit in Sydney.
Police stopped Warner on April 5 before being taken to a station in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, where the 39-year-old reportedly had a blood alcohol concentration of 0.104.
The former Australian opener and current captain of the Sydney Thunder in the Big Bash League failed to appear in court on Thursday when the matter was first mentioned and was adjourned to June 24.
Outside court, Warner’s lawyer Bobby Hill said the cricketer accepted responsibility for his actions and intended to enter a guilty plea later.
“He knows what he did was wrong,” Hill said.
“He admits it was a reckless decision, a foolish decision to get in the car instead of taking an Uber.”
Hill said Warner had three glasses of wine at a friend’s apartment on Easter Sunday before deciding to drive.
“It is not a crime to have a glass of wine on Resurrection Day. In fact, some would consider it quite appropriate,” he told reporters.
“His crime is, as I said, choosing the foolish plan A over plan B.
The lawyer also argued that Warner had his last drink 11 minutes before he was stopped by police and there was allegedly a 52-minute delay before a secondary breath test was administered.
Hill said Warner was remorseful and expected to face the same punishment as any other citizen in New South Wales, the Australian state where Sydney is located.
“This case before the court is a reminder to everyone in the public about the dangers of self-evaluation,” Hill said.
“I know David is looking forward to putting this matter behind him and focusing his efforts on giving back to these people in the community.”
The allegation also cast doubt on Warner’s future as Sydney Thunder captain.
“The allegations are obviously concerning and we take them very seriously,” Cricket NSW chief executive Lee Germon said after Warner’s arrest.
“At Cricket NSW we are strong advocates of safe driving, not drink driving.”
Warner retired from Test cricket in 2024 after scoring 8,786 runs in 112 Tests for Australia at an average of over 44, including an unbeaten 335 against Pakistan.
He was also one of the central figures in the 2018 ball-tampering scandal in South Africa, which resulted in a 12-month ban from international and domestic cricket.
Warner’s case will return to court on June 24.
– The end
Issued by:
Amar Panicker
Published on:
07 May 2026 10:37 IST
