Former Bulldogs NRL player Trevor Alwin Bowman sentenced for credit card fraud and drug offences

A former Australian Schoolboys rugby league star, who committed credit card fraud, blamed his relationship breakdown for his offending.

A FORMER Australian Schoolboys rugby league star, who committed credit card fraud, blamed his relationship breakdown for his offending.

Trevor Alwin Bowman, 36, appeared in the Townsville Magistrates Court where he pleaded guilty to 21 charges including six counts of fraud and three of obstruct police.

Bowman is a former Kirwan Bears alumni who spent a year in the NRL playing for the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs in the early 2000s.

Police prosecutor Senior Sergeant Felicity Nalder said Bowman made several transactions totalling $950 from a stolen Westpac bank card.

“The offence was captured on CCTV footage. There is a distinct tattoo on the defendant’s arm, which is how he came to be related to this matter,” she said.

On September 18, 2019 police intercepted a vehicle Bowman was travelling in as a passenger.

The court heard he was arrested for outstanding warrants but obstructed police and ran away.

On December 21, 2019 police located Bowman at a Kirwan address. He originally denied he was the man police were looking for and said he would “go and get him”.

Ms Nalder said as Bowman went to leave the house police told him he was under arrest.

Trevor Alwin Bowman was sentenced to one month jail for six counts of fraud, receiving tainted property, four counts of obstruct police officer and serious assault on a police officer.

“The defendant grabbed on to the constable’s load-bearing vest and pushed him backwards,” she said.

“After a short scuffle the defendant fell to the ground with police falling on him. Police gave further instructions for the defendant to release his arms and he refused to do so.”

He was eventually restrained and transported to the police station.

The court heard on an unspecified date Bowman was caught possessing .1g of methamphetamine.

Bowman was on a four month suspended sentence imposed on November 20, 2018 at the time of the offences. Defence lawyer Victoria Twivey said her client graduated from Kirwan High School in 2001 and signed a professional football contract and was addicted to drugs.

“My client went on to be contracted to play halfback for the NRL in the Bulldogs for two years,” she said. “Largely his life has gone downhill as a result of ceasing two relationships that were important to him … it is further exacerbated by the fact my client has been consuming drugs.”

Magistrate Viviana Keegan told Bowman “ice will destroy your life”.

“If you don’t stop the drug use it will completely destroy your life.”

Ms Keegan activated the suspended sentence and sentenced Bowman to one month in jail.

Convictions were recorded.

Originally published as Former Bulldogs NRL player Trevor Alwin Bowman sentenced for credit card fraud and drug offences