A Dapto man who has played for the Wests Tigers sobbed as he was granted bail after police busted him driving while disqualified three times in two months.
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Tyrone William Roberts, who also played for the Group Seven Warilla Gorillas, faced Wollongong Local Court from the police holding cells on Monday after he spent the weekend in custody.
The 20-year-old pleaded guilty to using an unregistered vehicle, three counts of driving while disqualified, two counts of failing to appear, and was also sentenced for his role in a brawl that erupted during October last year.
Tendered court documents revealed Roberts disqualification period started in August last year and was due to finish in February.
But he was busted first behind the wheel on September 30 last year when police were patrolling Nowra.
Police activated their lights and stopped Roberts when checks on the Suburu liberty he was driving revealed it was unregistered.
Asked if he was aware he was disqualified, Roberts replied: "Yeah I knew it, I was just trying to get to footy".
Roberts was caught behind the wheel again in the Illawarra on November 19 and December 22 last year, again offering frank admissions to officers about his disqualification status.
The court heard Roberts was due to be sentenced last week, however he failed to turn up, prompting an arrest warrant to be issued.
Defence lawyer Rosie Lambert said Roberts spent the weekend behind bars as a result and argued for his release.
"He knew he had court but he was ill with COVID or the flu," Ms Lambert said, adding he didn't want to jeopardise his football career.
Court documents also revealed Roberts was caught up in an affray in the early hours of October 15 last year, where he spat and threw punches at a man while leaving the Dapto Leagues Club after an argument ensued.
The entire incident was caught on CCTV. Court documents stated Roberts told police he was too intoxicated to recall the incident.
Magistrate Robert Walker fined him $400 for his role in the scuffle, and granted bail for the driving offences, adding Roberts was a "young Aboriginal boy on the cusp of an NRL career".
Roberts was ordered to report to police three times per week and to not drink alcohol or take drugs, unless prescribed by a doctor.
He will face court on May 9 for sentence.
Read more Illawarra court and crime stories here.
Grace Crivellaro
Court reporter for the Illawarra Mercury.
Court reporter for the Illawarra Mercury.
