Frank Giorgi, former Muay Thai world champ, caught for sixth time driving unlicensed

A former world champion fighter has faced court again, hauled in front of a magistrate in relation to his shocking traffic record.

A FORMER world champion fighter caught driving without a licence for the sixth time has narrowly avoided jail.

Francescos Sebastian Giorgi, also known as Frank Giorgi, had driven to go help his elderly father who was having chest pain on April 13, 2020.

The 40-year-old was on a suspended sentence after being convicted of unlicensed driving a little more than a year earlier.

He has not held a licence since 2015.

Former champion Muay Thai kickboxer Frank Giorgi.

At the height of his kickboxing career, Giorgi – nicknamed The Italian Stallion – was a two-time Australian champion and one-time world titleholder.

Giorgi pleaded guilty in the Southport Magistrates Court on Thursday to driving without a licence while disqualified by court order.

The former middleweight champion was stopped at a police check on the M1 at Gaven.

Giorgi told police he was going to check on his elderly father, for whom he is a carer, after he called to say he had chest pains he thought were indigestion.

Former kickboxing champion Frank Giorgi has been caught six times driving without a licence.

Magistrate Louisa Pink sentenced Giorgi to six months’ prison. She also activated his suspended sentence for his previous driving conviction.

Giorgi was released on immediate parole.

Magistrate Pink said she accepted that Giorgi had driven out of concern for his father.

“You made a very unwise decision to drive that day,” she said.

Defence barrister Marty Longhurst said a month after being stopped Giorgi was a passenger when a car rolled.

After the crash it was discovered Giorgi had an acquired brain injury as a result of blows to his head during his Muay Thai career, the court was told.

The crash gave him a further brain injury resulting in 40 per cent impairment.

“He was one of the most vibrant clients I had,” Mr Longhurst said.

“Now he is slow and has trouble stringing a sentence together.”

Mr Longhurst said the morning Giorgi was stopped by police he had just been contacted by his father about the chest pains.

He said Giorgi had been out with cousins who were in an unfit state to drive so he chose to get behind the wheel.

Mr Longhurst said Giorgi still volunteered in the community as a coach of soccer and Muay Thai, and worked in a cleaning business.

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