Footy legend Wendell Sailor pleads guilty over bizarre incident brought on by split with his wife and secret mental health struggle
Brisbane Broncos great Wendell Sailor has pleaded guilty to a charge of resisting police after being arrested over a bizarre incident in Wollongong late last year.
The 51-year-old appeared in Wollongong Local Court on Monday, where he entered the plea and police dropped another charge of wilfully preventing free passage of person/vehicle.
The charges stemmed from an incident that began when police received reports of Sailor yelling and standing in the middle of a busy road at around 11pm on December 5.
Sailor spent the night behind bars after being arrested and charged with allegedly breaching bail, obstructing traffic and resisting arrest.
He was refused bail and appeared in court the following day.
The premiership-winning former NRL player appeared in handcuffs and wearing a Chicago Bulls T-shirt as the weekend bail court was told he was in the process of a ‘difficult’ separation from his wife of almost 30 years.
NRL legend Wendell Sailor (pictured) has pleaded guilty to a charge of resisting arrest over an incident on December 5 last year
The former Broncos and Queensland star (pictured playing for Brisbane) was charged after police received reports that he was yelling and standing in the middle of a busy road
Sailor was refused bail and spent the night behind bars straight after his arrest last year
Sailor accepted he had breached existing bail conditions that prevented him from being intoxicated in public, the court was told.
Sailor’s Legal Aid lawyer Palistha Chitrakar told the court her client was experiencing ‘current difficulties in his life’ and ‘has some mental health issues that he does not wish to disclose to the court’.
Acting magistrate Paul Fernon warned Sailor against obstructing police who were just doing their jobs while arresting him.
‘It’s a job that’s made harder when people don’t let them do their work,’ he told the Queenslander.
Mr Fernon said he understood Sailor was going through a difficult family situation, but that was no excuse for breaching his undertakings.
He released Sailor on conditions that included seeing a doctor within seven days and accepting any recommended treatments, as well as an undertaking that he wouldn’t be intoxicated in public.
‘If you breach your bail conditions, you’ll end up back in custody. That’s just what happens,’ the magistrate said.
‘The responsibility is on you … just you.’
Sailor, who sat forward in his cell as he was told he would be allowed to leave, replied: ‘Yes sir. Thanks very much, appreciate it.’
