Drunk Cousins thrown in cell
AFL player arrested for being drunk
December 4, 2006
FORMER West Coast Eagles skipper Ben Cousins is in trouble again after the 2006 AFL premiership player was arrested for being drunk.
The 2005 Brownlow Medallist was arrested on Melbourne's Southbank near the Crown Casino early yesterday, was charged with being intoxicated in a public place and spent four hours in a police lock-up.
"The West Coast Eagles have today become aware of an incident involving Ben Cousins in Melbourne where he was arrested for being intoxicated," the Eagles said in a statement.
"The club is disappointed with this situation and will talk to Ben about the matter when he returns from leave to begin training next week."
Victoria Police confirmed that a man had been arrested near Crown Casino, but would not name him: "A man was picked up by police in the Southbank precinct about 4.30am today and taken to the Melbourne Custody Centre," a spokeswoman said. "He would have done four hours to sober up and then been released."
The spokeswoman said the man had been charged with being intoxicated in a public place and was expected to face Melbourne Magistrates Court at a later date.
It's not the first time the champion midfielder has been in hot water this year. In February, Cousins, 28, was forced to stand down as captain after five years in the position when he admitted he had left his car and girlfriend on a Perth highway to avoid being breath-tested.
Despite losing the captaincy to Chris Judd for 2006, Cousins had a great year on the field that included winning the premiership and being named All-Australian for the fifth time and the second time as vice-captain. Earlier yesterday, West Coast spokesman Gary Stocks said the club would wait to speak to Cousins before deciding on a course of action.
"[It's] too early to say, we'll have a chat to him and see what's happened," Stocks said. "We don't know what's happened, we only just heard about it through the media and that's all we've got to go on."
Cousins was also in trouble with the club in May last year, when he and teammate Michael Gardiner refused to answer questions over a vicious gang brawl at a Perth nightclub. Gardiner later left the club to join St Kilda.
Both were criticised after declining to explain phone conversations they were understood to have had with one of two men charged with disposing of a gun fired at the Metro City nightclub.
AAP
BAD BOY BEN
February: Stripped of West Coast captaincy after abandoning his car and fleeing from a roadside breath-testing unit.
May 2005: Cousins and teammate Michael Gardiner refused to answer questions over a gang brawl at a Perth nightclub. Gardiner since left the club to join St Kilda. The pair was criticised after declining to explain phone conversations they were understood to have had with a man charged with disposing of a gun fired at the club.
