CONVICTUS (PART 2(i)): Quade Cooper found guilty

[Moses]

of driving while suspended

Wallabies fly half Quade Cooper has been fined and disqualified from driving for six months for driving on a suspended licence.

The 22-year-old pleaded guilty to the charge in the Brisbane Magistrates Court on Monday, with his lawyer telling the court it was an oversight.

The court was told Cooper had incurred 13 demerit points on his licence since February 2008, including four in the past year.

His lawyer Liam Burrow said Cooper had moved house in March and had not updated his address details.

That meant he did not receive a letter advising his licence would be suspended for six months from May 20.

Mr Burrow said the first Cooper knew of the suspension was when police pulled him over for a licence check in Brisbane last week.

The lawyer said it was a simple oversight and asked magistrate Judith Daley for an absolute discharge.

But Ms Daley fined Cooper $400 and disqualified him from driving for six months.

A traffic conviction was also recorded.

Meanwhile, a burglary charge against Cooper is due for mention in the Southport Magistrates Court on Friday.

Cooper has been charged over the burglary of a Surfers Paradise residence on December 6 last year.

He is expected to plead not guilty.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/06/28/2939197.htm

 

[PaarlBok]

Any rugby team need a skollie. Look like you lot have your skollie now.

 

[Scotty]

I don't think he is tough enough to be that. Try Palu for that:

Palu has had a few brushes with the law, having spent a 6 month period in a penitentiary centre after an altercation at a night club led to him being charged with aggravated assault and then in January 2009 he was arrested for being caught for the second time in two years for driving without a licence. He was eventually fined and given a suspended sentence.

From wiki.

 

[Moses]

Palu's gaol time was for hitting a cop!

 

[PaarlBok]

Palu's gaol time was for hitting a cop!

Oh vok now you have two! You dont want to have to many of them.

 

[#1 Tah]

Palu's mom got him in line!

 

[Nusadan]

Looks like Quade won't be able to work (i.e. play) in England seeing as he won't be able to get a work permit due to having a conviction recorded against him...so it might mean we are stuck with him all his playing life...

 

[Gagger]

When did the suspension happen? Was he actually tweeting about driving while he had a suspended licence?

 

[Groucho]

Palu's gaol time was for hitting a cop!

Palu hit a cop who was in the process of beating up Palu's mate, apparently.

 

[Moses]

Looks like Quade won't be able to work (i.e. play) in England seeing as he won't be able to get a work permit due to having a conviction recorded against him...so it might mean we are stuck with him all his playing life...

It's just a driving conviction, would that prevent him from getting a work permit?

Palu hit a cop who was in the process of beating up Palu's mate, apparently.

I heard he was also out of uniform, and the "gaol time" was minimum security weekend detention where he was allowed to leave and work during the week

 

[Nusadan]

It's just a driving conviction, would that prevent him from getting a work permit?

Am at presently undergoing immigration processes at the moment, and if a 'conviction' is recorded against you, it's the same as for driving whilst suspended as for drink driving...as opposed to just paying for traffic offences for speeding for example which do not involve a court appearance.

Look at the case of mungo player Michael Croker who had sold up everything in Melbourne with view to playing in England but his visa application was refused due to some 'traffic convictions' if my memory serves me right...his case is not unique.

 

[daz]

Am at presently undergoing immigration processes at the moment, and if a 'conviction' is recorded against you, it's the same as for driving whilst suspended as for drink driving...as opposed to just paying for traffic offences for speeding for example which do not involve a court appearance.

Look at the case of mungo player Michael Croker who had sold up everything in Melbourne with view to playing in England but his visa application was refused due to some 'traffic convictions' if my memory serves me right...his case is not unique.

I'll take your word for that Nusadan since I don't know any better, but it seems a bit harsh. Additionally, are you suggesting QC (Quade Cooper) could have avoided court (and supposedly ruining his chances of ever taking a big paycheck abroad) simply by paying the fine in the first instance? If so, he is either a stubbie short of a six-pack or he is being advised by Crusty the Clown.

 

[Nusadan]

I'll take your word for that Nusadan since I don't know any better, but it seems a bit harsh. Additionally, are you suggesting QC (Quade Cooper) could have avoided court (and supposedly ruining his chances of ever taking a big paycheck abroad) simply by paying the fine in the first instance? If so, he is either a stubbie short of a six-pack or he is being advised by Crusty the Clown.

He should have known from paying so many fines that he would have been close to losing 12 points or more...and checked it out...I've had to do that myself and drive more carefully from thereon...

 

[Scotty]

Look at the case of mungo player Michael Croker who had sold up everything in Melbourne with view to playing in England but his visa application was refused due to some 'traffic convictions' if my memory serves me right...his case is not unique.

I thought Michael Croker got screwed by the club he was going to, when they decided they wanted someone else instead.

 

[Nusadan]

My bad, sorry fellas...upon checking his Wiki, Croker had his visa application rejected due to being convicted and fined $10000 for an 'affray' outside a club in 2005...not for a driving conviction, but still, I have heard others being refused for that...a question in the immigration application does specifically request any 'traffic' offences be included in any convictions to be revealed...

EDIT: Eastwood is a prime example, see: http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2009/mar/18/francis-meli-st-helens-leeds

 

[Groucho]

Queensland has a "spent convictions" law under which minor convictions like these are expunged from the record after a set period of time. It kicks in after five years, I think, but there is additonal flexibility for young people so that silly mistakes don't screw up their lives.

 

[HG]

Looks like Quade won't be able to work (i.e. play) in England seeing as he won't be able to get a work permit due to having a conviction recorded against him...so it might mean we are stuck with him all his playing life...

You may find that no conviction will be entered in the case before court on Friday.