Waratahs player Jack Whetton facing high range drink driving charges

A Sydney magistrate has told a Waratahs player that athletes are not above the law, as she sentenced him for high range drink driving.

A NSW magistrate has sternly reminded the court athletes are not above the law, before disqualifying the driver’s licence of a Waratahs player for almost two years for driving drunk.

Magistrate Carolyn Huntsman gave Jack Whetton, 29, a dressing down while delivering her sentence at Waverley Courthouse on Wednesday after he pleaded guilty to high range drink driving.

The second-rower asked the court to also take into account a charge of failing to abide by a Covid direction and refusing to submit a breath test to police.

Waratahs player Jack Whetton (centre) leaves Waverley Local Court. Picture: Toby Zerna

New Zealand-born Whetton, whose father Gary Whetton captained the All Blacks, blew 0.164 - more than three times the legal limit - after smashing into the back of an off-duty police officer’s stationary ute on Avoca St in Randwick, in the early hours of Sunday, August 22.

He had been at a teammate’s house drinking away his sorrows after being told his two-year contract, he signed last November, would be cut short.

Ms Huntsman asked Whetton “why on earth” he did not just walk home that night - as he lived only one kilometre away.

“People think of themselves before they think of community. People only see their own needs. Everyone knows you don‘t get behind the wheel when drinking,” she said.

Jack Whetton in action for the Waratahs. Picture: Getty Images

She told the court “no one gets treated differently because they are a football player”.

“Everyone is equal before the law. Everyone is subject to legislation,” Ms Huntsman said.

She said he could have hit a pedestrian and ended up in jail for life. But accepted he was apologetic and remorseful.

He undertook a traffic offender’s program and wrote a letter to court apologising for his “reckless and idiotic actions”.

“To put it simply, this is the worst decision I have made in my life,” he wrote.

“Getting behind the wheel in my condition was extremely irresponsible. The fact that I put not only myself at risk, but other people, brings me incredible shame.“

The court heard he would be leaving Australia to try and join a team overseas and had recently sold his car.

He was convicted and fined $1000, his licence was disqualified for 18 months and he was put on a good behaviour order for 12 months.

The court heard the Waratahs would also fine Whetton for the incident, with whom he is still technically under contract.

He was accompanied in court by Waratahs Player Development Manager Charlotte Annevald.