James ‘Chief’ Brabon: Original Bootcamp trainer’s drink drive shame
Known for whipping some of Sydney’s biggest celebs into shape alongside his personal trainer wife, this fitness guru was on the end of some stern words from a magistrate last week after being caught drink driving for the second time.
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Fitness guru James Brabon has been caught drink driving for the second time after a boozy lunch at Mr Wongs.
Alongside wife Emilie, the fitness fanatic known as ‘Chief’ has whipped some of the city’s biggest names into shape, transforming celebrities such as Guy Sebastian, James Stewart, Larry Emdur, Osher Günsberg and Manu Feildel.
But the tables were turned on Friday at Downing Centre Local Court, where it was Chief Magistrate Michael Barko who laid down the law to Brabon – who’d pleaded guilty to low range drink driving.
Agreed facts revealed police pulled over the 46-year-old in his black Land Rover Defender for a random breath test about 2.30pm on Shakespeare Pl, Sydney on Sunday, February 2020.
As Brabon began talking “police could smell intoxicating liquor on his breath”, the facts state, and the test returned a result of 0.052.
The legal blood alcohol level to drive for a fully licensed driver in NSW is below 0.05.
He told police afterwards that he had consumed a cocktail and two glasses of wine while at Mr Wongs restaurant between 12pm and 2.20pm, where he had only eaten “snacks”.
It was the second time the bearded former Army infantry soldier had been charged with the same offence, but Friday was his first time in court having last time been punished by way of a fine.
Magistrate Barko chose not to convict Brabon but warned that if he came before the court again for drink-driving, it would not be third time lucky.
“Even if you’re 1000th of a point into low-range,” he said.
“He cannot get this benefit again. It doesn’t matter if he’s a saint, it doesn’t matter if he’s Mother Teresa.”
Over a 28-year career Brabon, from Little Bay in Sydney’s south east, has established himself as one of the country’s most respected nutrition and fitness experts.
He founded Original Bootcamp in Bondi in 1991 and more recently has run the SKWOD Sweat and Social Club popular with the Harbour City’s elite, with wife Emilie Brabon-Hames.
The high-profile duo regularly appear in the media as fitness and lifestyle gurus.
Brabon was handed a 12-month good behaviour bond without conviction.