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Details of Sam Burgess’ “poor” driving record have resurfaced as the former NRL star vows to fight to clear his name for the second time in two years.
Rugby league and international dual union have denied taking illicit drugs or driving while suspended after police arrested him during a random breath test in the Sydney suburb of Kingsford on Thursday.
Police allege that record checks revealed that Burgess had a suspended license prior to he allegedly tested positive for cocaine during a roadside drug test.
Burgess has strenuously denied both accusations.
He claimed to have independently attended an accredited testing center for further testing which found no drugs in his system.
He also claimed that his full license was returned to him after a 10-month suspension.
Prior to Thursday’s arrest, Burgess had racked up 35 previous driving offenses since arriving in Australia from the UK in 2010.
In 2020 alone, Burgess was pinged by cellphone cameras five times and caught speeding twice.
Sam Burgess, pictured celebrating his 34th birthday with his new girlfriend Lucy, has denied driving on a suspended license
Most of the previous traffic offenses were on his British licence.
More recently Burgess He pleaded guilty to driving with cocaine in his system after he was caught behind the wheel of an unregistered BMW by highway patrol near Bowral in the Southern Highlands in February 2021.
He was on his way to visit his two young children when he was stopped.
A a source told Daily Mail Australia at the time that Burgess’ registration had been suspended due to $1,200 in parking and traffic fines, which he paid on the spot.
They added that Burgess did not have a NSW driver’s license because he had been using his international permit.
Burgess’s “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 violations since 2010.
The court also heard that Burgess had been caught on cellphone cameras five times and caught speeding twice in 2020 alone.
According to police facts presented in court, a shocked Burgess immediately pulled out his phone to pay $1,200 in outstanding fines after officers told him the car’s registration had been canceled due to the fines.
Prior to Thursday’s arrest, Burgess had racked up 35 prior moving violations since 2010, including seven in 2020 alone.
His attorney, Bryan Wrench, said the offenses would normally have been dealt with by road tickets, but his client was pulled over and his arrest leaked to the media while he was still in a cell at the police station.
“There’s no suggestion of any aggravating factors,” Wrench said of Burgess’s driving.
“No speeding, no swerving, no signs of alcohol intoxication or any illicit substance of any kind.”
Magistrate Mark Douglass described Burgess’ history of moving violations during his May 2021 court appearance as a “poor record” that did not help him.
Burgess was fined $1,162, placed on nine months of good behavior bond and ordered to participate in a traffic violator program.
No convictions were recorded due to the “arduous and rigorous” rehabilitation program Burgess had completed after his arrest three months earlier.
Justice Douglass said that Burgess had shown remorse, contrition and insight in his behaviour.
Burgess does not have criminal record neither in Australia nor in the UK, despite his recent driving record.
He disclosed Thursday night that he had taken traffic safety courses since his last court appearance and had incurred no demerit points or fines.
Despite his ‘poor’ driving record, Sam Burgess (pictured with his mother Julie) has no criminal record in Australia or the UK.
Sam Burgess was previously married to Phoebe Hooke before the couple split in 2019
The revealed that he has completely stopped drinking in an attempt to change his life for the better and accredited a month in a rehabilitation center for his transformation.
“It has changed my life and I have to say I wish I had done it sooner,” he told the Sydney Morning Herald in May 2021.
“My next goal is to restart my professional life and I want to get involved in rugby league again.”
The 34-year-old former England rugby star and South Sydney Rabbitohs premier was allegedly driving a BMWx5 when he was pulled over by police in Kingsford on Thursday morning for a random test.
Police allege that record checks revealed that Burgess had a suspended license.
He allegedly tested positive for cocaine and was returned to Maroubra Police Station for a second round of tests and was then released.
Burgess has denied the accusations and then took a urine sample at an internationally accredited laboratory that he claimed showed no drugs in his system.
“He completely denies any suggestion that he was involved with illicit drugs and we have obtained a urine sample from an internationally accredited laboratory that confirms that he has not used any illicit drugs,” Wrench said.
Burgess issued a statement to Daily Mail Australia, stating that he has not “used, obtained or possessed any illicit drugs”.
Sam Burgess (pictured with new girlfriend Lucy Graham last month) allegedly failed a random breath test when he was pulled over by NSW police on Thursday.
“An initial roadside drug test was taken, which came back positive for cocaine,” Burgess said.
‘A court date was issued for driving on a suspended license.’
‘After I was released from the police station, I immediately and voluntarily went to an internationally accredited independent testing center and took a urine test. The urine sample returned a negative result for all illicit drugs.
‘I deny any suggestion that I have drugs in my system. I have not used, obtained or possessed any illicit drugs.
‘I have made positive improvements in my life and driving since getting my full license back after a 10 month loss. I have taken road safety courses and since then I have not incurred demerit points or fines.
‘I am clean and sober from drugs, living a happy, healthy and balanced life.’
Burgess has received a notice to attend court for driving while suspended and will appear in Waverley Local Court on February 15.
He has not yet been charged for the alleged positive drug test.
“Investigations are continuing and police will await the result of a secondary analysis of oral fluids,” a NSW Police statement read.
Results could take several weeks to return.
Sam Burgess, pictured with lawyer Bryan Wrench and his mother Julie Burgess at an earlier court appearance, was taken into custody by police in Kingsford on Thursday morning.
Sam Burgess broke his silence on the allegations shortly after the news broke.
In March, Burgess was fined $30,000 by the NRL for using illicit drugs and threatening another player in 2018, and driving with traces of cocaine in his system in February 2021 while working for the Rabbitohs off the pitch.
Burgess was cleared on appeal for bullying his former father-in-law last year.
He recently went public with his new girlfriend Lucy Graham, his first serious girlfriend since he split 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 in April 2019. They separated for good on October 2 of that year and have since divorced.
The retired English prop also recently started a new role as an assistant coach with the Rabbitohs.
Burgess played in 182 games for the Rabbitohs over two seasons 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, his three siblings, his mother Julie, and their two children.
‘Thanks for all the birthday love yesterday. It’s been a great past week with my most important. Very lucky,’ Burgess posted on Instagram.
Sam Burgess (pictured) says he’s clean and sober from drugs, even though he reportedly tested positive for cocaine on a roadside drug test Thursday.