Fallen footballers exposed: Brian Lake, Rene Kink, Chas Bromley, Luke McGuane and Andrew Rohan
No 50s for these once high-flying footy talents whose various crimes and misdemeanours earned stiffer penalties. See the list.
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A former Collingwood VFL player claimed he was given cocaine while training at Carlton Football Club after he fronted court for carjacking a nurse in Northcote.
The former talent joins a list of footballers including an ex-VFL player who attacked a dad with a machete, a vile former southeast footballer who filmed himself having sex with a child and two former AFL/VFL stars with shocking driving records.
VAFA STAR’S DRUG DEALING DOWNFALL
A fallen VAFA star who slung hard drugs including coke, MDMA, meth and GHB after he couldn’t play football because of the pandemic was jailed.
Onur Akbas was sentenced in the County Court in November 2021 to a minimum three-year jail term after pleading guilty to charges including trafficking a commercial quantity of 1,4 butanediol.
Akbas, of Glenroy, was pinged after a Quest on William’s housekeeper discovered drugs in the dealer’s apartment on May 19, 2020.
Quest management contacted Akbas to say he’d been bounced from his apartment but could return the following day to collect his belongings.
Hotel staff also discovered drug paraphernalia in Akbas’s alleged co-accused’s apartment, the court was told.
Police then raided Akbas’s room where they seized more than 3kg of bute, meth, cannabis, MDMA, a tick book, digital scales, an ice pipe and a tablet.
Investigators found meth, more drugs, cash and a key to a hire car on Akbas after arresting him at Quest on May 20.
Police searched Akbas’ hire car and discovered multiple sets of scales, needles, a vacuum sealer and empty deal bags.
Police established Akbas possessed and trafficked 7.3kg of bute, 130gm of MDMA, cocaine, cannabis, Xanax, ketamine and almost 300g of meth between December 2019 and May last year.
The court heard Akbas was living at his parents’ Glenroy home at the time of the offending.
Akbas held down a senior office position at a Rowville logistics company but his drug use skyrocketed in early-2020, the court was told.
James Portelli, for Akbas, submitted his client was a regular gym user who most recently played football for VAFA club Westbourne Grammarians Football Club.
Akbas, who previously played for several Essendon District Football League clubs, stopped playing footy and couldn’t go to the gym because of the pandemic.
Akbas, who also pleaded guilty to trafficking MDMA, cocaine, cannabis, meth, ketamine and Xanax, was jailed for a maximum four years.
FALLEN FOOTY PRODIGY CARJACKED NURSE
Former Collingwood VFL player Chas Bromley caused a storm in 2020 after his lawyer told a court players at Carlton Football Club had offered his client cocaine.
Bromley — through his lawyer — said he was “encouraged” to socialise with Carlton’s VFL side’s “older players” while at the club.
The court heard Bromley was offered cocaine while training with the club’s VFL side.
His lawyer later told Leader it was “reported to him” that the older players gave Bromley the cocaine.
Bromley, a former top junior footballer with the Northern Knights, was sentenced in the County Court in June 2020 to 293 days’ jail and placed on a community correction order after he attacked a nurse in Northcote.
The court heard Bromley had used meth when he attacked his victim on Evans Cres and demanded her car keys just before noon on January 4, 2019.
The nurse — who had been caring for an elderly patient in the area – ran away but Bromley chased her down and sped away in her car.
In her victim statement, the nurse said she is now “hyper-vigilant”, and “terrified” when approached by others.
Judge George Georgiou said Bromley’s offending was “clearly serious”.
“An innocent person was subjected to a terrifying ordeal in which she suffered physical injury as well as significant psychological trauma,” he said.
Bromley, a midfielder, played for Collingwood’s VFL side between 2013 and 2014 but was delisted due to his drug use, the court heard.
His drug use worsened and he became homeless after he was axed by Collingwood but hoped to resume his football career.
Bromley found himself in trouble again after he bashed three Mildura cops in mid-2022.
Bromley, who fronted the County Court earlier this year after pleading guilty to multiple recklessly cause serious injury of emergency workers charges, will be sentenced at a later date.
EX-VFL PLAYER’S MACHETE ATTACK
Jonathan Proud, a machete-wielding former VFL footballer, savagely attacked a man while his victim’s children looked on helplessly, a court was told.
The ex-Coburg Lions’ player was sentenced in the Sunshine Magistrates’ Court in March 2020 to a minimum five months’ jail after pleading guilty to charges including making threats to kill and intentionally causing injury.
Proud went to his victim’s Hoppers Crossing house armed with a machete just after noon on November 19, 2019.
The court heard Proud smashed up his victim’s car after the dad locked himself and his children inside the house.
Proud fled but then called the father several hours later.
“I’m going to come and chop your head off,” Proud said.
Proud and two other “unknown” assailants — all armed with machetes — returned to the home just after 6pm.
The machete-wielding trio confronted their victim after waiting for him to come outside.
The man — who yelled out to his children to “lock the door” — armed himself with a brick and a spear.
He clocked Proud with the brick before he was struck by the other offenders.
Proud, who was arrested at his Truganina house the next day, told police he was angry and wanted revenge after he heard the victim had assaulted a female friend.
The court heard Proud was a “talented footballer” at VFL club Coburg Lions.
Proud, a father of one, stopped playing because of problems which involved his brother, former Brisbane Lions footballer Albert Proud, the court heard.
Proud, through his lawyer, said he hoped to resume his football career when released.
Proud — who also smashed up a Bank of Queensland CBD branch while drunk in 2016 — was jailed for a maximum 15 months.
FILTH FORMER FOOTBALLER KICKED INTO JAIL
Former Endeavour Hills Football Club player Andrew Rohan was jailed after he filmed himself having sex with a child.
Rohan was sentenced in the County Court in June 2020 to a minimum three years after pleading guilty to charges including sexual penetration of a child under 16.
Rohan had sex with the 15-year-old girl then produced a pornographic video of him performing lewd acts on his victim.
He kept the video for several months until he was arrested.
Rohan — whose lawyer told the court he was a former president of Endeavour Hills, where he also played — told police his offending against the girl was a “moment of weakness”.
He left the football club several years ago.
Investigators discovered the video following an undercover operation targeting a southeast crime gang which peddled drugs, high-powered guns and stolen luxury cars.
Judge Kevin Doyle jailed Rohan, who also pleaded guilty to producing child abuse material, handling stolen goods and trafficking MDMA and cannabis, for a maximum five years.
He was placed on the sex offender registry for life.
INCREDIBLE HULK’S DIRE DRIVING RECORD
Former VFL cult hero Rene Kink was told he faces a stint in the clink if he continues to be a menace on the roads.
The ex-Collingwood big rig known as The Incredible Hulk was warned by a magistrate another driving ruckus and he could be booted into jail.
Kink, who pleaded guilty in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court in April 2021 to two counts of driving while suspended, was pulled over unlicensed at Docklands in March 2019.
Kink — who also made his name playing fictional Magpie hard man “Tank O’Donohue” in the 1980 movie The Club — was unlicensed due to “breaching a demerit bond”.
Kink, who also pulled on the boots for Essendon and St Kilda during his 181-game career, told the cops he was “not aware” his licence was suspended.
Kink, who appeared via his lawyer’s office, confirmed he had activated the demerit option.
Kink was stung by police again driving unlicensed through Wangaratta North on November 29 2020.
Again Kink told police he wasn’t aware his licence was suspended just after they pulled him over on Federation Way and activated bodycams.
Kink’s licence was disqualified by a magistrate in February 2021 after he failed to rock up to court.
But Kink, who kicked 280 VFL goals, convinced a magistrate to give him another shot.
Bernie Balmer, for Kink, said his client had broken up with his partner of 20 years and he had recently moved back to Melbourne from Wangaratta which caused him to miss court.
The court was told Kink shifted homes several times before landing a stable home in Port Melbourne.
Kink, who the court heard has other prior driving offences, hasn’t driven for 86 days but Mr Balmer urged the court to reinstate his client’s licence so he can get back to work.
Magistrate Angela Bolger let Kink back on the road but warned him this was his last chance.
“It’s his responsibility to make sure that he’s properly licensed on each occasion he gets back behind the wheel of a car,” Magistrate Bolger said.
“And if he were to come back again with a charge of driving while suspended or disqualified he faces the very real prospect of a term of imprisonment.”
Kink was convicted and fined an aggregate of $1200.
LONG ARM OF THE LAWN
He made his career on the hallowed turf of the MCG, but AFL bad boy Brian Lake landed himself in court for failing to keep his nature strip in check.
Lake, who has been in all sorts of strife over the years, let weeds out the front of his Caroline Springs nature strip grow so big they turned into a community safety hazard.
Lake was fined $1200, which arguably beats his six nights in custody in Japan in 2018 after a late-night altercation in Osaka.
Melton City Council prosecuted the former Western Bulldogs and Hawthorn champion at Sunshine Magistrates’ Court in February 2020.
Lake, who did not appear at court, was slapped with five charges including three for not maintaining his nature strip.
The other two were in relation to allowing a plant to interfere with a road or council land.
Council issued notices to Lake to clean up the mess but he ignored them, landing himself in court.
The offences, which occurred between May 2017 and November 2018, were all related to his Brunton Ave home.
Melton Council prosecutor Alison May said the council had not received any contact from Lake, a Norm Smith medallist and triple premiership Hawk.
Judicial Register Samantha Dixon viewed photos of the nature strip and found all charges proven.
Melton community safety manager Phil Lovelace said the council had been on to Lake since late 2015 after it received several complaints from neighbours. He said the council was forced to clear the weeds in 2018 after receiving no response from Lake.
The Herald Sun visited Lake’s property after the short hearing but he was not home.
A stripped-back, unregistered car with a mangled tyre, and a couple of empty Woodstock slabs were outside the house.
Lake was also ordered to pay council costs of $677.40.
EX-AFL BIG MAN’S DRIVING WOES
Former AFL footballer Luke McGuane was warned he’ll face harsher penalties if he doesn’t mend his serial road pest behaviour.
McGuane was fined $1000 and had his licence suspended for seven days after entering guilty pleas to the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court in September 2021 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, 2020.
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 in 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
“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, 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.
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