AFL star charged with drink driving and driving with suspended licence

A former AFL player has been charged with drink driving only months after he was busted driving illegally.

Former AFL player Majak Daw has been charged with drink driving while dealing with a charge of driving illegally through Melbourne.

The 32-year-old appeared in Melbourne Magistrates Court on Monday after being charged with driving with a suspended licence just days before Christmas.

The court heard he was stopped by the highway patrol while travelling west along Dandenong Rd in St Kilda, in inner Melbourne, at 7.30pm on December 16.

Former AFL player Majak Daw has been charged with drink driving. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Andrew Henshaw

Officers found Mr Daw was driving without a valid licence and charged him over the offence, only months after he avoided conviction for driving an unlicensed car with a suspended licence.

As he fronted court to plead guilty to the charge, the court heard the former ruckman was also battling an unrelated charge of driving while intoxicated.

Mr Daw’s lawyer, John Marquis, said his client’s licence had been suspended in February after he was allegedly busted driving under the influence of alcohol.

The Sudanese-born AFL player looked tense as he fronted court wearing a dark grey suit with a blue tie.

Daw made history when he was drafted to the Kangaroos. Picture: Robert Cianflone / Getty Images

He played in the league for 13 years before retiring. Picture: Chris Hyde / Getty Images

The court heard he told police he knew his licence was suspended when they stopped him in December and explained he was “just picking up the car”.

Mr Marquis told the court Mr Daw had been upfront with police about his “foolish decision”.

“He must suffer the consequences of an action that could certainly have been avoidable,” he said.

He argued the consequences would be magnified by Mr Daw’s status as a “well regarded and certainly well known” person in the community.

Daw admitted to driving with a suspended licence. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Nicki Connolly

“He’s always been somewhat of a role model and an ambassador in the community,” Mr Marquis explained.

Despite retiring from playing AFL in 2022, the court heard Mr Daw continues to be employed by the league as a mentor for training sessions and upcoming players.

The Footscray resident was fined $1000 and escaped the court without a conviction.

He retired from professional AFL a week after he appeared in court last year for driving with a suspended licence.

He has avoided conviction for driving with a suspended licence. Picture: Chris Hyde / AFL Photos / via Getty Images

Mr Daw spent 13 years playing in the AFL for the North Melbourne Kangaroos and Melbourne Demons before he was benched by injuries.

He made history as the first Sudanese Australian to be drafted to an AFL club when he was picked in the 2009 draft.

The former ruckman has continued to be involved in the game and currently plays for the North Heidelberg Football Club.