Former AFL star Ben Cousins released from Acacia prison
FALLEN AFL star Ben Cousins smiled as he walked free from prison yesterday, ten months after he was jailed for stalking the mother of his two children. But the club that made his name has already offered him a job.
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FALLEN AFL star Ben Cousins walked free from jail yesterday but has already lined up a job with his former club West Coast.
The Eagles said Cousins had been offered part-time work with the club’s Community and Game Development department.
“We believe (it) will have mutual benefits for both parties,” the club said. “This has been a particularly hard time for Ben and his family and we look forward to him beginning the next phase of his life.”
A smiling Cousins left prison, almost a year after he was jailed for stalking his ex-partner, according to The West Australian.
The former West Coast Eagles captain was jailed in March for causing “ongoing terror” to Maylea Tinecheff, with whom he has two young children.
A bearded Cousins, who has long struggled with drug addiction, was picked up by his father Bryan from Acacia Prison and taken to the family home in Bicton, in Perth’s South West.
7 News reporter Jamie Freestone said Cousins was all smiles as he was picked up around 8am on Wednesday.
COUSINS REACHES OUT TO FORMER TIGER TEAMMATES BEFORE GRAND FINAL
COUSINS DECIDES NOT TO CHALLENGE PRISON SENTENCE
The Prisoners Review Board determined on Monday that releasing him “would not present an unacceptable risk to the safety of the community”.
The board took into consideration Cousins’ improved prison conduct, participation in voluntary programs and counselling and a commitment to attend ongoing psychological counselling.
“(It) demonstrates a motivation and willingness to address your offending behaviour,” the board said.
Cousins’ parole plan includes having suitable accommodation, confirmed employment and support from peers and family.
“The conditions of parole will further reduce the risk to the safety of the community,” the board said.
Cousins’ parole order requires him to comply with the VRO and not have any contact with Ms Tinecheff.
He must also undergo random urinalysis, attend programs and counselling, immediately find work or training and not change his address without approval.
The violence restraining order breaches for which he was jailed stemmed from Cousins visiting his children’s school and church and calling Ms Tinecheff.
The Brownlow medallist called her more than 2000 times between October 2016 and February 2017.
In one month, he contacted her 542 times, including 103 times in one day.
When Cousins was arrested, police found eight grams of methamphetamine, which his lawyer Michael Tudori told the court at the time would only last four days.
Cousins, 39, was fined $2400 for drug possession and driving without a licence.
During his time behind bars, he was involved in a minor scuffle but not injured.
He also failed a drug test, which delayed an earlier opportunity for parole in August, as he had to complete rehabilitation courses.
During a separate sentencing in September, a magistrate told Cousins he was lucky not to have killed or seriously injured someone when he smashed his car head-on into a truck while high on methamphetamine in November 2016.
For that incident, he was fined $1200, ordered to pay $2295 in chemical analysis fees and had his driver’s licence disqualified for 12 months.
— with AAP
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