Ex-AFL player Luke McGuane pleads guilty to driving charges after Albert Park cyclist collision

A former Richmond and Brisbane AFL big man has been banned from driving after he failed to give way to a cyclist in Albert Park.

Former Richmond and Brisbane AFL player Luke McGuane pleaded guilty to driving offences.

Former AFL footballer Luke McGuane has been warned he’ll face harsher penalties if he doesn’t mend his serial road pest behaviour.

McGuane, 34, was fined $1000 and had his licence suspended for seven days after entering guilty pleas to the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Monday for multiple driving offences.

The former Richmond and Brisbane big man collided with a cyclist while turning left at an Albert Park intersection just before 6pm on July 29 last year.

McGuane, who played 112 senior games during his 11-year AFL career, failed to give way to the cyclist prior to the collision at the intersection of Kerferd Rd and Montague St.

Police who quizzed McGuane at the scene quickly ascertained the former footballer was driving while suspended.

McGuane, whose licence was suspended for six months last April after he racked up too many demerit points, told police he didn’t realise he was driving unlicensed.

“I didn’t know (my licence was suspended), McGuane said.

“I knew I was on the golden point.”

McGuane, cousin of Collingwood dual best and fairest Mick McGuane, claimed he didn’t see the cyclist while turning left from Montague St onto Kerferd Rd.

“I didn’t see him,” McGuane told police.

“Yeah, oh, I assume yes (the cyclist was in the bike lane), I didn’t see him, and his pedals clipped the side of my car.”

McGuane during his Brisbane Lions playing days.

McGuane, who pleaded guilty to driving while suspended and failing to give way, had his vehicle impounded for 30 days following the collision.

Magistrate Timothy Bourke said McGuane’s actions “warrant a short loss of licence”.

“Luckily for Mr McGuane there is no evidence before this court to justify any more than imposed,” Magistrate Bourke said.

“The material before the Court discloses no injury to the cyclist or the extent as to the impact or force of the collision.

“The message for Mr McGuane and the community is that this is about road safety.

“If Mr McGuane drove safely in the first place he would not had accumulated enough demerit points to see his licence suspended in the first place.

“Engaging in such breaches of the road rules in future will no doubt place Mr McGuane’s licence at risk of suspension and even cancellation.”

Magistrate Bourke took into account McGuane’s guilty plea, lack of criminal priors and his prior good character when sentencing.

McGuane played 105 games for Richmond after the Tigers recruited him from Broadbeach with pick 36 in the 2004 National Draft.

The Tigers delisted the key position player in 2013.

McGuane played a further seven games for the Brisbane Lions before retiring in 2015 due to a knee injury.

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