Brisbane Broncos playmaker Ezra Mam could face up to 14 years in prison after allegedly failing a roadside drug test following a head-on collision in Brisbane last Friday, according to a top criminal defence lawyer. The 21-year-old was reportedly moving house when his Ford Ranger collided with an Uber carrying a mother and her daughter in the suburb of Bardon.
Queensland Police conducted roadside drug and alcohol testing at the scene, with Mam allegedly testing positive for drugs but negative for alcohol. He is also alleged to have been driving without a licence. Police and the NRL Integrity Unit are investigating, with results of a secondary blood test expected within one to two weeks.
Lawyer Tom Taylor, a prominent criminal defence solicitor in Canberra, told Nine's Today show that the severity of charges depends on evidence gathered. 'If there were injuries suffered, then the charges about the driving and the alleged drug driving are the ones he's got the most to worry about. Potentially, if injuries were sustained, it could be up to 14 years imprisonment,' Taylor said.
The blood test will screen for cocaine, cannabis, MDMA and methamphetamine. Taylor noted that roadside tests can be unreliable, and the blood test will confirm the presence and quantity of any drug, determining how adversely affected Mam may have been.
Broncos CEO Dave Donaghy has not ruled out terminating Mam's $4million contract, stating the club will wait for all facts before making decisions. 'We are very disappointed to find ourselves in a position like this,' Donaghy said on Monday, adding that the club's focus is on the community.
This is Mam's second off-field incident this year, following an altercation with a fan in Bali involving teammate Reece Walsh, where a phone was broken. The Broncos have yet to make any official decisions regarding Mam's future with the club.
