iSelect Titans forward Paul Carter has today been handed the following penalties by the club after he was charged with a high range drink driving offence in Surfers Paradise early yesterday morning.
· A $12,000 fine of which $6000 will be suspended for 12 months (subject to no further disciplinary incidents or breach of the club’s code of conduct). The immediate $6000 fine is to be paid to a charity of Paul’s choice.
· A two-match suspension from playing, resulting in a further $6000 in forfeited match payments
· Completion an alcohol management course
· Completion of a traffic offenders course
The penalties were handed down this afternoon after consultation with the NRL integrity unit and Paul’s attendance at a club disciplinary committee hearing.
A contrite Carter, the 22-year-old in his rookie season with the Titans, said today:
“I just want to apologise to my family, friends, teammates, coaching staff, management and our supporters for letting them down and for the embarrassment I have caused.
“What I did was wrong, and potentially dangerous, and that has hit home to me.
“I was moving my car from outside a restaurant to a nearby overnight secure car park. But it was a mistake getting behind the wheel in the first place, which could’ve put people’s lives in danger and for that I am deeply sorry.
“I know the Titans is a club that works very hard on its role within the community, I am very sorry if I have damaged that reputation.
“I have accepted the penalties without question.
“I made a terrible mistake that I aim to learn from and never repeat. I very much appreciate the support and advice I have received since the incident from teammates, coaches and management here at the Titans, also my family and friends.
“I hope I can repay them by learning from this mistake and moving forward as a better person.”
iSelect Titans CEO Graham Annesley acknowledged the last 24 hours has been a difficult time for Paul emotionally and could not have come at a worse time for the club.
“However we treat these matters very seriously. Discipline on the field requires similar discipline off the field and the club’s response is a clear indication of that,” said Annesley.
“But on a positive note it’s pleasing to see that Paul has accepted full responsibility and the punishment that goes with it.
“Our job as a club is not just to hand out penalties when players do the wrong thing, but also to help them rehabilitate and turn them into better people. Hopefully Paul will benefit in the long term from the club’s tough stance.
“We look forward to Paul returning to the field when he has served his penalty and demonstrating through his actions on and off the field that our faith in him has been well placed,”, Annesley concluded.
