Gold Coast Titans player Erin Clark pleads guilty in Southport court to unlicensed driving charge

A Gold Coast NRL player has shared a message for adoring young fans after being sentenced in court. Find out what he had to say

Gold Coast Titans forward Erin Clark has reassured fans that “we all make mistakes” after a driving blunder landed him in court.

The 26-year-old pleaded guilty in Southport Magistrates Court on Wednesday to a charge of unlicensed driving.

Prosecutor Abby Griffiths said Clark was pulled over on Gainsborough Drive at Pimpama on December 27 last year, where a licence check revealed his was demerit point-suspended.

GOLD COAST, AUSTRALIA - JULY 16: Erin Clark of the Titans runs the ball during the round 18 NRL match between the Gold Coast Titans and the Brisbane Broncos at Cbus Super Stadium, on July 16, 2022, in Gold Coast, Australia. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

Dressed casually for his court appearance in a T-shirt and shorts with sneakers, Clark said he was juggling his football commitments with being a new dad to his four-month-old baby.

Clark told the court losing his licence would be “a tough one” for him and his family.

He was also fined $350 and disqualified from driving for six months. No conviction was recorded.

Gold Coast Titans player Erin Clark after pleading guilty to unlicensed driving in Southport Magistrates Court. Picture: Jessica Paul

Speaking as he left the Southport courthouse, a slightly sheepish Clark said he was unaware at the time that he was unlicensed and had a message for young fans who looked up to him.

“We all make mistakes – I’ll learn from this and it won’t happen again,” he said.

The workhorse Titans forward signed with the Gold Coast club in 2020, after previous stints with the Canberra Raiders and his home side New Zealand Warriors.

Recent Titans releases indicate Clark is preparing to rejoin the main squad under new coach Des Hasler after undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery last August.

Originally published as Gold Coast Titans player Erin Clark pleads guilty in Southport court to unlicensed driving charge