Ben Cousins fronts Perth court on drug charges
FALLEN AFL star Ben Cousins has been denied bail and remanded in custody over new drug and family violence charges including a shocking allegation that he threatened to bury his former partner alive. In a lengthy and emotional rant, a dishevelled and tearful Cousins pleaded for his freedom.
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SHOCKING allegations against fallen AFL star Ben Cousins have been revealed in a Perth court as a magistrate denied him bail over new drug and family violence charges.
In the most disturbing of the charges, Cousins is alleged to have threatened to bury his former partner Maylea Tinecheff alive while holding a screwdriver.
“I can’t wait to use it,” he is alleged to have told her.
“I’m going to kill you … take your life, your freedom and the things you love the most.”
He is alleged to have threatened to bury Ms Tinechef alive, and then take their children to that spot “where you will be able to hear them but not be able to get to them”.
Ms Tinecheff’s complaints against Cousins dated back to August 8 but she only made a statement to police on Tuesday.
JAILED COUSINS REACHES OUT TO FORMER TEAMMATES
The 40-year-old drug addict was arrested last night during a disturbance at a Perth house and was later allegedly found with 13 grams of methylamphetamine.
It is alleged that after Cousins’ arrest he was strip searched by police where they spotted a bag — allegedly containing the meth — inserted into Cousins’ anus, PerthNow reported.
When asked to remove it by officers, it is alleged he pushed it further inside his body — prompting police to take him to Kelmscott hospital, and ask for a forensic order allowing them to remove it themselves.
It was then Cousins removed the bag himself, the prosecutor said.
Police have alleged Cousins intended to sell or supply the drugs, but Mr Tudori said that intent will be argued against.
Cousins faces 16 charges including aggravated burglary, aggravated stalking and possessing a prohibited drug with intent to sell or supply.
The former West Coast Eagles captain, who has no fixed address, appeared in Armadale Magistrates Court this afternoon looking dishevelled with long hair and a beard.
In a lengthy and emotional rant to the magistrate, Cousins applied for bail against the advice of his lawyer, Michael Tudori, but was refused.
He repeatedly told the magistrate he understood the offences but did not understand why he had been charged.
“Is this a vendetta? I don’t understand what’s going on,” he said.
Cousins desperately looked at his lawyer Michael Tudori during proceedings and quietly said: “I can’t go back mate, I can’t.”
In a lengthy and emotional rant, Cousins told the magistrate he took the situation seriously and had come out of prison this year a different person.
“I still haven’t gone back to my old ways,” he said.
“I need you to see that I am making an effort.” Cousins claimed he was the victim and begged the magistrate to “work with” him.
“I beg you, I’m not a threat.” Cousins also pointed out that despite being the subject of ridicule and embarrassment, which he had largely brought on himself, he had never acted violently.
“If there’s one thing that is a strength of my character it is my ability to not act out in violence.”
The Brownlow medallist said he was worried about not being part of his children’s lives.
“Every day I close my eyes when the sun goes down and I spew that it’s another day I’m not going to be with my children.”
But the magistrate said there were no conditions he could impose on Cousins to ensure he would comply, so bail was refused.
Cousins was remanded in custody and is due back in court on October 30.
Cousins was released from jail in January after almost a year.
There have been concerns for Cousins in Perth for some time.
Cousins father Bryan did not wish to comment this morning.
“I can’t talk right now,” he said.
Cousins appeared at a local football club earlier this month with former Eagles players.
He was locked up for stalking his former partner Maylea Tinecheff, the mother of his two children.
He was offered a job at his former club West Coast as part of his parole conditions.
The role was a part-time position in the club’s Community and Game Development department.
Eagles great Glen Jakovich said at the time Cousins had struggled to hold down a job after his career ended, but it was hoped the role at the footy club would signal a change of path.
“He’s never had a full-time job,” he said.
“He basically went from school straight into the West Coast Eagles as a promising rookie under the father-son (agreement) the Eagles had with the WAFL system.
“Post-2007 he’s never really had a job — I know he’s had a variety of roles. I think there was a few little jobs there in the last couple of years but he’s struggled to hold them and hold them down and that’s where the troubles have continued for him in the last three or four years.”
But in May it was reported he had quit the job after just three months.
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