Former Cronulla Sharks youth pathways player Noah Lester convicted for drink driving in Newcastle

A former Cronulla Sharks pathways player had his downward spiral recounted in court after he was caught drink driving on the night of his 22nd birthday.

Noah Lester leaves Sutherland Local Court on September 19. Picture: Elizabeth Pike

A former Cronulla Sharks youth prospect had his downward spiral recounted in court after he was caught drink-driving on the night of his 22nd birthday.

The story unfolded as Noah Lester, 22, was sentenced in Sutherland Local Court on Thursday after pleading guilty to one charge of driving with a mid-range PCA.

The court heard Lester, who had previously been in the Cronulla Sharks pathway system, lost his license, his job, dropped out of rugby league, and moved back home to southern Sydney after the incident on June 28.

Court documents state Lester, of Caringbah, was pulled over by police about 12.15am while driving a grey RAM truck along Lambton Rd in Broadmeadow, Newcastle.

He returned a positive breath test and was arrested before being taken to Newcastle police station where he blew a reading of 0.088.

Noah Lester pleaded guilty to mid-range drink driving. Picture: Elizabeth Pike

When questioned by police about how much he had to drink, court documents state Lester told the officers he had “several beers” before getting behind the wheel.

In court on Thursday, Lester’s lawyer Wayne Pasterfield submitted his client’s actions were a “momentary exhibit of madness”.

Mr Pasterfield said Lester was living in Newcastle at the time of the offending, where he was playing rugby league and working as a counsellor in the Indigenous mental health sector.

However, as a result of the drink-driving offence and licence suspension, Mr Pasterfield said his client had not been able to work or play footy – forcing him to leave Newcastle and move back in with his parents.

Mr Pasterfield said Lester, who attended court with his father, no longer had access to a vehicle and had completed the traffic offenders program.

He requested his client receive the minimum disqualification period and a reduced monetary penalty, given his PCA reading was just within the 0.08 mid-range scale.

In handing down his sentence, Magistrate Philip Stewart accepted the submissions and found Lester “did not have a bad record at all,” while commending his career choice.

“Hopefully you get back into the rugby league and the counselling you provide to other people,” he said.

Mr Stewart convicted Lester, disqualified him from driving for six months, and fined him $600.