Former NRL bad boy Curtis Scott has avoided a conviction for drink driving after revealing in court that he joined Alcoholics Anonymous. The 29-year-old pleaded guilty to the offence following an incident in which he crashed his ute into a tree in Sydney last June.
Court Proceedings
Scott, who last played for the Canberra Raiders in 2021, recorded a blood alcohol reading of 0.08 after the crash in Bonnet Bay. His solicitor, Paul McGirr, told Judge Tania Johnson that Scott is 'working hard to get his life back on track.' McGirr added, 'He is very accomplished and skilled in the art of fighting. He’s had help from a psychologist, he has really grabbed the bull by the horns in respect of getting back on track. He’s attained abstinence and is attending Alcoholics Anonymous in relation to his use of alcohol.'
Despite the prosecutor requesting a conviction due to Scott driving through a residential area while under the influence, the judge sentenced him to an 18-month conditional release order without conviction. The conditions require him to be of good behaviour and continue engaging with an outpatient mental health service, including random drug tests.
Warning from the Judge
Judge Johnson warned Scott to treat the incident as a cautionary tale, stating, 'You have a future, this was a bad decision and hopefully going forward you know that.'
Recent Legal Wins
This marks the second recent legal victory for Scott. Earlier, his bail conditions were varied to allow him to travel to Brisbane for a bare-knuckle boxing match, despite being charged with allegedly assaulting two people. Scott's solicitor argued that fighting is his main source of income and his craft. The prosecution opposed the travel, citing the seriousness of the assault charges, but the court lifted Scott's curfew and permitted the trip.
Scott still faces charges of affray, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and assaulting a police officer from an incident in early April. He allegedly assaulted an 18-year-old after a Sydney Swans AFL game and then assaulted a police officer who sustained minor injuries before fleeing. Scott pleaded not guilty to these charges. He is due back in court in May for a ruling.
