Notorious NRL bad boy is back in court as shocking driving record revealed

Former NRL player John Hopoate has failed to overturn a suspension of his driving licence, having been suspended 13 times by the courts.

Earlier this year, the former Manly Sea Eagles championship winner was fined $1000 and banned from driving for 12 months after pleading guilty to operating a motor vehicle while his licence was suspended.

On Tuesday, Hopoate, dressed in ripped jeans, a white shirt and a pink vest, appeared at Sydney’s Downing Centre District Court to appeal the length of his sentence.

At a hearing at Manly District Court earlier this year, the court was told he claimed he was unaware at the time that his licence had been suspended.

His lawyer Feddy Kak told Judge Paul McGuire on Tuesday that Hopoate had been suspended for three months, but he was satisfied the suspension had expired.

Mr Kak said Hopoate’s suspension ended in November last year but a new suspension was imposed on December 27 and he was not aware of it when he was driving in January this year.

The court ruled that the offence arose from an alleged incident of road rage.

Hopoate appeared in Sydney’s Downing Centre District Court to appeal against the severity of his sentence

“He didn’t know at the time that he had been suspended,” Mr Kak told the court.

Mr Kak asked Judge McGuire not to convict his client and grant him conditional release, saying he had a “significant” need for a licence.

The court was told that Mr Hopoate had a seven-page traffic record and that even after a suspension was lifted in November 2023, he had further traffic offences for speeding and using his mobile phone.

Judge McGuire noted he had a “poor” driving record, including convictions in 2007 and 2012 for driving while banned.

The Public Prosecution Service stated that his appeal had ‘no grounds’, as he had already been banned from driving thirteen times.

Earlier this year, Hopoate was fined $1,000 and given a 12-month driving ban.

Hopoate is unfortunately perhaps better known for a series of shocking incidents on and off the pitch than for the football he played during a successful 200-game career.

Judge McGuire said Hopoate’s sentence was not lenient given his “appalling” driving and dismissed his appeal.

“I am not persuaded that the $1,000 fine and 12-month disqualification imposed on Mr Hopoate was manifestly excessive. It does not appear excessive at all,” Judge McGuire said.

During his active career, Hopoate represented clubs from New South Wales and Australia, but was plagued by controversy.

In 2001, he was suspended for twelve weeks for poking his finger into the buttocks of three opponents.

His active career was cut short in 2005 when Manly ripped up his contract after he was suspended for 17 games for elbowing Cronulla’s Keith Galloway in the head.