Former star batter turned TV star Michael Slater has walked free from a Queensland court docket after being sentenced to 4 years in jail, partly suspended, after pleading responsible to seven costs together with home violence.
The 55-year-old former opener for Australia was dealing with allegations of assault, housebreaking, strangulation and stalking over a number of incidents involving a girl in Noosa over a number of months in 2023.
He pleaded responsible to 2 counts of frequent assault, one among illegal placing, assault occasioning bodily hurt, housebreaking by break at night time, and two counts of strangulation.
Choose Glen Money handed the sentence however partly suspended it for time served as Slater had spent greater than a yr in custody after being refused bail over the offences, that means the previous cricketer will stroll free.
The rest of Slater’s sentence is suspended for 5 years, throughout which he’ll threat being returned to custody if he commits one other critical offence.
Money additionally had a blunt message for the ex-Channel 9 star.
Michael Slater (pictured outdoors court docket in Noosa, Queensland) has been sentenced to 4 years in jail after pleading responsible to costs together with home violence
The previous Take a look at opening batter and Channel 9 star (pictured whereas commentating for 9 in 2013) was branded an alcoholic by Choose Glen Money
‘It is apparent, Mr Slater, that you’re an alcoholic,’ Money stated in Maroochydore District Courtroom on Tuesday, in accordance with the ABC.
‘Your rehabilitation is not going to be simple. Alcoholism is a part of your make-up.’
The prosecution within the case stated Slater deserved a sentence ‘within the order of’ 5 years in jail, with parole after three years.
Slater’s lawyer Greg McGuire argued that his shopper ought to obtain a three-year stint behind bars and be paroled instantly.
‘He needs to return to New South Wales, the place members of his household reside,’ McGuire informed the court docket.
‘Whether or not he will get higher is fully as much as him. He has been with out alcohol for a yr.’
Slater was arrested in April final yr and had been behind bars ever since.
His offences in opposition to the lady – who he had been romantically concerned with – noticed him face greater than a dozen costs, together with enter dwelling with intent by break at night time, choking, assault occasioning bodily hurt, stalking and breaching bail.
Slater (pictured after scoring a century for Australia in 1999) has gone from one of many nation’s most well-known sportsmen to dealing with a troublesome rehabilitation battle
They have been all alleged to have occurred between December 5, 2023 and April 12, 2024.
Police alleged Slater despatched tons of of messages to the lady the place he known as her a ‘c**’, ‘escort’, ‘liar’ and ‘sl*t’ a number of occasions and threatened to take his personal life.
It was additional alleged that Slater accessed the lady’s CCTV digicam on the entrance porch of her home on March 17 final yr, turning it round to face into her house.
The girl was allegedly alerted by way of an app on her cellphone whereas she was talking to officers at Noosa Police Station.
Slater was additional alleged to have smashed a window to achieve entry to the lady’s house and assaulted her by grabbing her arm.
It was alleged he additionally choked her on two totally different events.
Bail was in the end refused final August by Supreme Courtroom Justice Paul Freeburn, who famous Mr Slater had a historical past of home violence.
‘The offences alleged are supported by some proof, and are sustained and persistence,’ Justice Freeburn stated.
‘The danger of additional or continued offending can’t be ignored.’
Justice Freeburn stated Slater had a protracted historical past of psychological well being situations and had been recognized with ADHD, main depressive dysfunction, insomnia, alcohol use dysfunction and borderline persona dysfunction.
The court docket was informed Slater had a legal historical past for offences of obstructing police, frequent assault and stalking, amongst others.
Final Might Slater had his identify faraway from an oval that was named after him in his childhood house of Wagga Wagga, NSW.
The previous Channel 9 commentator performed 74 Checks for Australia in an eight-year profession, scoring 5312 runs and 14 centuries within the lengthy type of the sport.
He additionally starred in 42 one-day internationals for his nation.
