Andrew Frew, a former winger in the NRL, has allegedly no-showed his court sentence hearing but was still convicted following an incident that took place in April 2024.
Charged for recklessly dealing with the proceeds of crime to the amount of $13,900 and failing to appear in accordance with his bail conditions for an incident that took place on April 24, 2024, in Nambucca Heads, The Coffs Coast Advocate reports that he didn't show up in court.
However, this didn't stop him from being convicted and sentenced by Magistrate Julia Virgo.
According to the publication, Frew has been convicted and fined $5000 after originally pleading not guilty and has also been sentenced to a community corrections order of two years.
"It is clear that drug addiction does form part of the reasons why Mr Frew has been dealt with by the courts," Ms Virgo said.
"He's undertaken criminal activity to sustain his drug use. I understand some of the injuries he sustained led to his drug addiction."
No stranger to the news, he was arrested in September 2012 and charged with blackmail, which saw him jailed for one year and placed on a corrections order on 14 May 2013.
Most recently, he was in the headlines after pleading guilty to five counts of drug supply, two counts of drug possession, two counts of dealing with the proceeds of crime and possessing a prescribed restricted substance.
Last playing in theย NRLย in 2004, Frew notched up 48 total first-grade appearances for theย Parramatta Eels, Manly-Warringah, Northern Eagles andย St George Illawarra Dragonsย between 1997 and 2004.
Able to play anywhere in the back-line, the 50-year-old also spent time overseas with theย Huddersfield Giants,ย Wakefield Trinityย andย Halifax Panthers.
