NEWS Joe Ofahengaue charged for alcohol related offence in a vehicle

[Foordy]

I don't know how the club could be anything other than mad at the dickhead cop. Joe did nothing wrong. He's already been overpunished.

he did do something wrong, he committed an offence.

this particular law may be stupid ... but it's still the law. it's not a cops job to say, "well this law sucks, so i won't take any action against him"

 

[McHunt]

he did do something wrong, he committed an offence. this particular law may be stupid ... but it's still the law. it's not a cops job to say, "well this law sucks, so i won't take any action against him"

If you run the risk and get caught, you have no one to blame but yourself. Ignorance is not an excuse.

Sure, the cop had every right to fine him for doing something completely harmless, because as you say, it's the law. But the club doesn't have to be sanctimonious twats and double down on it. They don't have to be even bigger assholes.

 

[Foordy]

Sure, the cop had every right to fine him for doing something completely harmless, because as you say, it's the law. But the club doesn't have to be sanctimonious twats and double down on it. They don't have to be even bigger assholes.

He may still not get fined by the club, but given it is his 3rd off field incident, I doubt he'll escape punishment from the club ... and then there is the NRL to consider, who can still come over the top of us and dish out penalties if they don't think we acted appropriately.

given it is a relatively minor offence, i doubt he is going to be dealt with too harshly.

 

[berrigan]

3 strikes

 

[Unbreakable]

There could be a million scenarios couldn’t there? Maybe he was at the party and some tosser was giving him a bit of stick so he removed himself from the situation.
Maybe the cops got called to the party, they saw a bloke sitting in the drivers seat of a car out the front passed out and checked on his welfare and the rest is history.
The possibilities are endless.

Maybe he was trying to drive home but passed out before he could start the car, maybe he was about to drive home but decided to shut his eyes for 5 mins to give himself a better chance of not killing himself or someone else behind the wheel.

It goes both ways I guess..

Simple answer is not sleeping in the drivers seat of a car with the keys on you after getting plastered.

 

[Jedhead]

I think he should be made to plant 100 trees over the next few weekends before the season starts. If he gets them all done before round one then all is forgiven. And maybe fifty Bee attracting plants too. Every little counts towards replenishing the staggering amount we have just lost.

 

[Unbreakable]

Latest word is that he was sleeping on the backseat BUT had the keys in the ignition and the engine on (presumably for the air con)

 

[007]

If the filtered reports coming are out that he was that pretty hammered (pres season??) and the keys in - its pretty stupid in the grand scheme. Grab an uber home!

 

[Jason Simmons]

If the filtered reports coming are out that he was that pretty hammered (pres season??) and the keys in - its pretty stupid in the grand scheme. Grab an uber home!

This. The offence is contrary to section 79 of the Transport Operations (Road Use Management) Act. It’s the same offence whether you are driving, in charge or attempting to put in motion a vehicle, tram, vessel etc.

Reportedly he was 2.5x the legal limit, so a mid-range reading somewhere around 0.125%.

Can’t remember the case law off the top of my head, but to be deemed ‘in charge’ at the law, usually requires you to be inside the vehicle with the keys present. The old rule of thumb of sleeping on the backseat with the keys in the boot, etc used to be a reasonable defence. Not sure if that is currently the case, but allegedly in the ignition with the engine running is never going to work out well for them.

Paid $500k a year? Get an Ubër or a Didi. It’s not hard...

 

[Dash]

This story clearly proves that the contract figures being thrown around are bullshit. Someone on $500k a year could surely afford a taxi home.

 

[Huge]

I don't know how the club could be anything other than mad at the dickhead cop. Joe did nothing wrong. He's already been overpunished.

How can you possibly know this?

 

[broncos4life]

Mmmm, my sceptical side has been tweeked a little on this. No matter how small a house is you'd think there's space to lay down and sleep it off. You'd offer that to a stranger if you thought they were pretty harmless let alone a celebrity sportsman. JoeO is a big name NRL star and you tell him to go and sleep in his car? Ok, maybe as host you didn't know he wandered off pissed up, maybe you were past it yourself to care. It just strikes me as a bit odd.

If the cop turned up, felt for heat from the radiator and figured the guy in the front was playing possum then you might be inclined to charge him. I'm not saying that happened but you know, wondering if there's a bit left unsaid about the affair. Truthfully I'd say most cops finding someone asleep in the BACK seat might look the other way if they weren't suspicious otherwise.

I wish there were more cops like the ones that live in your imagination.

 

[McHunt]

Latest word is that he was sleeping on the backseat BUT had the keys in the ignition and the engine on (presumably for the air con)

LOL. The fuckwit meter needle might be swinging from the cop back towards Joe now.
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Can’t remember the case law off the top of my head, but to be deemed ‘in charge’ at the law, usually requires you to be inside the vehicle with the keys present. The old rule of thumb of sleeping on the backseat with the keys in the boot, etc used to be a reasonable defence. Not sure if that is currently the case, but allegedly in the ignition with the engine running is never going to work out well for them.

Better to pass out on the footpath next to your car. My mate did that and the cops were nice enough to drop him home.

 

[the_next]

How good is our offseason going.
Time to get serious with these boys I think. 5 or 6 week club suspension + a fine equaling what he would have earned in that time..
These type of indiscretions need to start being written in everyone’s contract - do it once and its a club and fine suspension, do it twice and the club can terminate your contract.
Sick of this shit tbh, these lads need to grow up, it couldn’t be that hard to grab an uber when you’re on ridiculous money.
PS why was he on the piss that hard in the off season, especially after how we finished the year.

 

[theshed]

I think he should be made to plant 100 trees over the next few weekends before the season starts. If he gets them all done before round one then all is forgiven. And maybe fifty Bee attracting plants too. Every little counts towards replenishing the staggering amount we have just lost.

quite a random punishment but I do like the idea of players having to complete certain public service tasks before they get to play. If they rip in and get it down their suspension is over in no time, if they have a bad attitude they miss weeks.

 

[McHunt]

I think he should be made to plant 100 trees over the next few weekends before the season starts. If he gets them all done before round one then all is forgiven. And maybe fifty Bee attracting plants too. Every little counts towards replenishing the staggering amount we have just lost.

The problem with trees is they suck up precious water and the leaves become bushfire fuel. Maybe he should dig a dam instead.

 

[Super Freak]

PS why was he on the piss that hard in the off season, especially after how we finished the year.

He had a tough week of training and it was a Saturday night. He’s allowed to have a bit of fun and enjoy life.

 

[NSW stables]

In positive news for joffa, this is unlikely to be the biggest news in league. Reports coming in that Curtis scott (previously melbourne, now canberra centre) was just done for assaulting police. Apparently had to be tased to be subdued