Ben Cousins decides not to challenge 12-month prison sentence

DISGRACED West Coast Eagles champion Ben Cousins has decided not to challenge his jail sentence, as his lawyer said he expected to be moved to a prison farm within days.

Former West Coast Eagles player Ben Cousins was jailed after pleading guilty to 11 charges. Picture: AAP Image/Richard Wainwright

DISGRACED West Coast Eagles champion Ben Cousins has decided not to challenge his jail sentence, as his lawyer said he expected to be moved to a prison farm within days.

Cousins has been in jail for subjecting his former partner and mother of his children to “nine months of terror”.

West Coast Eagles bad boy Daniel Kerr implores Ben Cousins to break addiction to drugs in jail

But his lawyer, Michael Tudori, confirmed to the Sunday Herald Sun that an appeal would not be launched against his 12-month prison sentence.

“The main reason for that is his release date on parole will come around quicker than the appeal,” Mr Tudori said. “He will be released before we can get an appeal heard in court.”

Ben Cousins’ fall from grace has been swift after winning the 2005 Brownlow Medal.

Cousins was jailed in late March for the aggravated stalking of the mother of his two children, Maylea Tinecheff, and repeatedly breaching a violence restraining order she had taken out against him.

The confessed drug addict pleaded guilty to 11 charges, which included possessing 8g of meth.

Mr Tudori said Cousins, currently housed in the privately-run, medium-security Acacia Prison, which is Australia’s biggest jail, was coping well with life behind bars.

“He’s doing really well, he’s in Acacia and he’s hopeful that he will be moved to a prison farm any day,” Mr Tudori said.

He declined to comment on whether Cousins had signed up for, or started participating in, any prison drug rehabilitation programs, but noted those opportunities involved a wait time.

In sentencing Cousins last month, magistrate Richard Huston said the Brownlow medallist and former Eagles captain’s demise was a “tale of despair and missed opportunities”.

Ben Cousins retired from the AFL in 2010.

The court was told Cousins, who was arrested in February and held in custody since, bombarded Ms Tinecheff with thousands of text messages — including 103 in one day — as well as approached her at her home, the children’s school and church. Mr Huston said Ms Tinecheff had endured “nine months of terror”.

Cousins’ earliest release date on parole will be in August.

Many of his former teammates and coaches have expressed the hope that he has finally hit rock bottom and that his jail stint will help him turn his life around.