Details of Sam Burgess ‘poor’ driving record have re-emerged as the former NRL star vows to fight to clear his name for the second time within two years.
The rugby league and union dual international has denied taking any illicit drugs or driving while suspended after he was arrested by police during a random breath test in the Sydney suburb of Kingsford on Thursday.
Police allege registration checks revealed Burgess had a suspended licence before he allegedly returned a positive result for cocaine during a roadside drug test.
Burgess has strenuously denied both allegations.
He claimed to have independently attended an accredited testing facility for a further test which found no drugs in his system.
He also claimed his full licence was returned to him following a 10-month suspension.
Prior to Thursday’s arrest, Burgess had racked up 35 previous traffic offences since arriving in Australia from the UK in 2010.
In 2020 alone, Burgess was pinged by mobile phone cameras five times and caught speeding twice.
Sam Burgess, pictured celebrating his 34th birthday with new girlfriend Lucy, has denied he was driving on a suspended licence
Most of the prior traffic offences were on his British licence.
Most recently, Burgess pleaded guilty to driving with cocaine in his system after highway patrol caught him behind the wheel of an unregistered BMW near Bowral in the Southern Highlands in February, 2021.
He was on his way to visit his two young children when he was pulled over.
A source told Daily Mail Australia at the time Burgess’s registration had been suspended due to $1,200 in parking and traffic fines, which he paid on the spot.
They added Burgess did not have a NSW driver’s licence because he had been using his international permit.
Burgess’ ‘poor traffic record’ was revealed during the court hearing in May, 2021, where a five-page document showed more than 30 speeding and mobile phone offences dating back to 2010.
The court also heard Burgess had been pinged by mobile phone cameras five times and caught speeding twice in 2020 alone.
According to police facts tendered in court, a surprised Burgess immediately got out his phone to pay $1,200 in outstanding fines after officers told him the car’s registration had been cancelled due to the fines.
Prior to Thursday’s arrest, Burgess had racked up 35 previous traffic offences since 2010, including seven alone in 2020
His lawyer Bryan Wrench said the offences would normally have been dealt with by way of roadside fines but his client had been taken into custody and his arrest leaked to the media while he was still in a police station cell.
‘There is no suggestion at all of any aggravating factors,’ Mr Wrench said of Burgess’s driving.
‘No speeding, no swerving, there is no sign of intoxication by alcohol or any illicit substance whatsoever.’
Magistrate Mark Douglass described Burgess’ history of traffic offences during the May, 2021 court appearance as a ‘poor record’ that did not help him.
Burgess was fined $1,162, placed on a nine-month good behaviour bond, and was ordered to take part in a traffic offender’s program.
No conviction was recorded due to the ‘arduous and rigorous’ rehabilitation program Burgess had completed following his arrest three months earlier.
Magistrate Douglass said Burgess had shown remorse, contrition and insight into his behaviour.
Burgess has no criminal record in neither Australia or the UK, despite his recent traffic history.
He revealed on Thursday night he had undertaken road safety courses since his last court appearance and had not incurred any demerit points or fines.
Despite his ‘poor’ driving history, Sam Burgess (pictured with mum Julie) has no criminal record in Australia or in the UK
Sam Burgess was previously married to Phoebe Hooke before the couple split in 2019
He revealed he has stopped drinking completely in an attempt to change his life for the better and credited a month in a rehabilitation facility for his transformation.
‘It has changed my life and I have to say that I wish I did this some time earlier,’ he told the Sydney Morning Herald in May 2021.
‘My next aim is to restart my professional life and I want to be involved with rugby league again.’
The former England rugby and South Sydney Rabbitohs premiership star, 34 was allegedly driving a BMWx5 when he was pulled over by police at Kingsford on Thursday morning for a random test.
Police allege registration checks revealed Burgess had a suspended licence.
He allegedly returned a positive result for cocaine and was taken back to Maroubra Police Station for a second round of tests and was later released.
Burgess has denied the allegations and later took a urine sample at an internationally-accredited laboratory which he claimed showed no drugs in his system.
‘He completely denies any suggestion that he was involved with any illicit drugs and we have obtained a urine sample from an internationally-accredited laboratory confirming that he has not consumed any illicit drugs,’ Mr Wrench said.
Burgess released a statement to Daily Mail Australia, claiming he hasn’t ‘consumed, obtained, or possessed any illicit drugs’.
Sam Burgess (pictured with new girlfriend Lucy Graham last month) allegedly failed a random breath test when pulled over by NSW Police on Thursday
‘An initial roadside drug test was taken, which showed positive to cocaine,’ Burgess said.
‘A court date was issued for driving with a suspended licence.’
‘After I was released from the police station, I immediately and voluntarily went to an independent, internationally accredited testing facility and undertook a urine test. The urine sample returned a negative result to all illicit drugs.
‘I deny any suggestion that I have drugs in my system. I have not consumed, obtained, or possessed any illicit drugs.
‘I have made positive improvements to my life and to my driving since my full licence was returned to me following a 10-month loss of licence. I have undertaken road safety courses and since then I have not incurred any demerit points or fines.
‘I am clean and sober from drugs, living a happy, healthy and balanced life.’
Burgess was issued a court attendance notice for driving while suspended and will appear in Waverley Local Court on February 15.
He has not yet been charged over the alleged positive drug test.
‘Inquiries are continuing, and police will await the result of a secondary oral fluid analysis,’ a NSW Police statement read.
The results could take several weeks to come back.
Sam Burgess, pictured with lawyer Bryan Wrench and his mother Julie Burgess at a previous court appearance, was pulled over by police at Kingsford on Thursday morning
Sam Burgess broke his silence on the allegations shortly after the news became public
In March, the NRL fined Burgess $30,000 for using illicit drugs and threatening another player in 2018, and driving with traces of cocaine in his system in February, 2021 while working at the Rabbitohs in an off-field role.
Burgess was acquitted on appeal of intimidating his former father-in-law last year.
He recently went public with new girlfriend Lucy Graham, his first serious girlfriend since separating from wife Phoebe Hooke.
The former couple were married for four years and share two young children Poppy and Billy.
The couple separated in late 2018 before rekindling their relationship by April, 2019. They split permanently on October 2 that year and have since divorced.
The retired English prop also recently started a new role as assistant coach at the Rabbitohs.
Burgess played 182 games for the Rabbitohs during two stints before retiring in 2019 due to a chronic shoulder injury.
He celebrated his 34th birthday last week and shared a series of photos celebrating with his new girlfriend, three brothers, mum Julie and his two children.
‘Thanks for all the birthday love yesterday. It’s been a great week spent with my most important. Very lucky,’ Burgess posted on Instagram.
Sam Burgess (pictured) says he’s clean and sober from drugs, despite allegedly testing positive to cocaine in a roadside drug test on Thursday
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