Arrested AFL superstar Ben Cousins accused of breaching violence restraining order behind bars again

FORMER AFL superstar Ben Cousins will spend a a second night behind bars after being accused of again breaching a restraining order taken out against him by the mother of his two children.

Former West Coast Eagles star Ben Cousins leaves court last month. Picture: Ian Munro

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FORMER AFL superstar Ben Cousins will spend a second night in prison after being accused of again breaching a violence restraining order taken out against him by the mother of his two children.

Cousins was taken into custody around 6.45pm yesterday evening in Canning Vale, spending the night behind bars.

After being transported to Armadale he appeared without a lawyer, making an application to be released to bail himself — despite being warned he is in a very precarious legal position.

Ben Cousins after being granted bail in October. Picture: AAP /Richard Wainwright

Magistrate Jennifer Hawkins explained to Cousins he was now classed as an alleged schedule two offender — which means he has allegedly committed a serious offence while on bail for another.

But Cousins said he wanted to plead his case — explaining why he was within 10m of his former partner Maylea Tinecheff when had been expressly warned not to be.

An increasingly agitated Cousins said he had been dropping off a hire car to his ex-partner so she could use to transport their two children.

He said he was in the park with his two children when she approached him, at the same time police were also approaching.

Ben Cousins as a young Eagles player in 1996.

Cousins shows his Brownlow Medal in Perth.

A police prosecutor said Tinecheff had called them to report the alleged breach but Cousins said there had been no arguments or shouting in the street.

Despite his protests, the magistrate said she wanted to hear from Ms Tinecheff, and remanded Cousins in custody overnight, to appear again tomorrow.

Cousins was visibly upset and angry at that decision, complaining as he was led away by three security officers.

Today’s court appearance is Cousins’ third in less that three months, as his life continues to spiral downwards due to an ongoing addiction to meth.

Ben Cousins holds the premiership cup after the Eagles’ grand final win in 2006.

Less than two weeks ago, a heavily medicated Cousins was granted bail after he had missed a court date, then crashed his car into a truck prompting a two-day stay in hospital.

He had been due to appear in on another allegation that he breached the restraining order taken out against him by his former partner Maylea Tinecheff.

He didn’t arrive for that appearance, prompting an arrest warrant to be issued.

Even the rare shaft of good news, such as the 2011 birth of his son Bobby Ernest Cousins with partner Maylea Tinecheff, was soon overwhelmed by a darker tale. In 2013, the couple reportedly split weeks after welcoming their second child.

Later that evening, Cousins’ car was involved in an accident with a truck on Abernethy Road, leaving him with injuries serious enough to warrant 48 hours treatment at Royal Perth Hospital.

He was also charged with possession of meth, a small amount of which was allegedly found in his wallet by police after the crash.

Last year, Cousins pleaded guilty to trespass and property damage charges relating to a bizarre rooftop incident in Canning Vale.

He was fined $500 for trespassing on the roof of a house in March and $300 for causing damage to the roof tiles.

The former Eagles captain, premiership star and 2005 Brownlow Medallist was held at Armadale Hospital for several days after the incident where he underwent a mental health assessment.

When police tried to take him into custody, he jumped fences and climbed onto the roof of a two-storey house where he paced until police officers talked him down.