Byron Parnell: Rookie Rabbitohs player sentenced for mid-range drink driving and with illicit drug

A magistrate has told a rookie Rabbitohs player he “played for the best team in Sydney” but “blew it” after he was busted driving with cocaine in his system not long after drinking six schooners.

Byron Parnell

A Rabbitohs junior player has learned his fate for having a binge drinking session at a popular eastern suburbs pub before getting behind the wheel drunk, with cocaine still in his system.

Byron Parnell, 20, was sentenced for driving with mid-range PCA and illicit drug at Waverley Local Court.

The Wentworth Courier earlier reported the up and coming player was stood down from his contract after the club learned of the charges.

According to facts tendered to court, Parnell was stopped by police for a random breath test while driving his Holden Colorado bearing Queensland registration along Rainbow St in Coogee.

Police asked the footballer to show his licence, and could smell intoxicating liquor coming from within the car, which Parnell had an adult male passenger in.

Byron Parnell

Parnell was submitted to a roadside breath test which returned a positive result, the facts state. Police arrested him and Parnell was taken to a nearby police station.

There, police administered an oral fluid test which also returned a positive test to cocaine.

Parnell told police he had drunk five to six schooners of beer at the Bay Hotel in Maroubra within a period of an hour and 15 minutes, only eating some hot chips in between.

At Waverley Local Court on Wednesday, Magistrate Jacqueline Milledge convicted Parnell of the charge, which he pleaded guilty to, and fined him $2,000.

Byron Parnell (left)

Barnell was also disqualified from driving for five months and then have an interlock breathalyser in his car for 12 months.

Magistrate Jacqueline Milledge said she was glad Barnell had done the drug and alcohol merit program, but he has risked his future.

“You’re playing with the rabbits — the best team in Sydney — you come down here and you blow it,” she said.

“You get drug convictions and you become a footballer and you go overseas to play football and they might not let you in.”

When Parnell first faced court in July, a Rabbitohs spokesperson told the Wentworth Courier Parnell had not been on an NRL contract with the Club, but had been on a part-time NSWRL contract to play in the club’s lower grades.

“Upon learning of this situation with Byron Parnell, the Club has stood him down from all duties associated with his part-time, NSWRL contract,” the spokesperson said at the time.