The husband of Home and Away icon Kate Ritchie has been caught drink driving five times, court documents have revealed – as he jumps back behind the wheel of his car.
Ex-rugby league player Stuart Webb’s shocking driving history was revealed in a police fact sheet on Wednesday, as he faced court for blowing 0.083 when he was pulled over by highway patrolmen in the city’s east in March.
Webb came in front of a magistrate on the same day that NSW Police told Daily Mail Australia he will not be charged over a separate ‘incident’ at home with his radio star wife in October.
That ended in an AVO being brought against him, which bans him being in Ritchie’s company within 12 hours of drinking alcohol.
Court documents about the March incident said, Webb, 38, had ‘glazed and bloodshot’ eyes when he was pulled over by highway patrolmen in Randwick.
Stuart Broughton Webb fronted Waverley Court in Sydney’s east again on Wednesday over a drink driving incident where he ran a red light and drove on a suspended licence in March
Exclusive photos show Webb, 38, jumping in the driver’s seen of his Subaru wagon after his court appearance on Wednesday morning
For the next two years, Ritchie’s husband must blow into an alcohol-interlock device after getting behind the wheel, a court heard
He had just run a red light and was also driving home on a suspended licence. In court documents, police described Webb as a drink driving ‘repeat offender’.
‘This incident is his fifth PCA (prescribed contention of alcohol) offence since 1999,’ the fact sheet said.
‘The majority of interactions between the police and the accused relate to problems following the accused consuming high quantities of alcohol.’
Webb was previously only known to have been pinged for drink driving incidents in 2012 and 2017.
The police document said Webb told officers at the police station that ‘he had consumed two schooners of Tooheys New beer at the Royal Hotel in Randwick.
‘He did not know what time he started drinking, but finished about 4pm that day,’ the fact sheet said.
Webb also claimed to be ‘unaware’ his licence was suspended, claiming he had previously visited a Service NSW office.
‘The majority of interactions between the police and the accused relate to problems following the accused consuming high quantities of alcohol.’
NSW Police fact sheet, tendered in court
He was disqualified from driving for several months, but the ban has come to an end.
A magistrate today ‘corrected’ Webb’s sentence after his lawyer said he should have given ‘more guidance’ previously.
The lawyer told the court: ‘By way of an update, he’s got his licence, he’s back on the road’.
Webb jumped back in his Subaru Levrog wagon following the court case. Outsied court, he only smiled when asked about his sentence.
He will be required to use an alcohol interlock device before driving for the next two years.
Webb was also recently banned from approaching Ritchie within 12 hours of consuming alcohol, after police brought an AVO against him.
The ban followed an unspecified ‘incident’ at their home. A NSW Police spokesman confirmed an investigation has recently ended.
‘No charges were laid in relation to this matter and the investigation is now closed,’ a spokesman said.
An investigation has ended into an ‘incident’ at the home of Kate Ritchie and Stuart Webb
Daily Mail Australia has previously revealed details of Webb’s previous drink driving incidents.
In March 2012, he was caught mid-range drink driving after spending the night drinking at the Bondi Surf Club, a fact sheet said.
As this publication reported earlier this year, court documents stated he had five schooners of beer and unknown number of vodka and cranberry juice mixes.
In sentencing Webb, the Magistrate praised his regular participation in fundraisers, and in the traffic offenders’ program, and fined him more than $800.
Webb wore his wedding band to court today. Ritchie has told reporters she’s very much looking forward to the end of the year
He was again caught drink driving in 2017, after police saw him speeding on a motorbike at Mascot on December 18, 2017.
Court papers said he was driving 20km/h over the limit about 10.20pm and noted he had ‘glassy and blood shot eyes’, with a breath test reporting a reading of 0.063. The blood alcohol limit in New South Wales is 0.05.
Webb is best known for playing 88 rugby league games for Sydney Roosters, St George Illawarra and South Sydney.
Kate Ritchie has never spoken about the recent turmoil with her husband, with several reports having claimed the drink driving incident placed ‘strain’ on their marriage.
But she told News Corp in November that she was looking forward to the end of the year.
‘I’m very ready for a holiday and I don’t think I’m alone there’.