NRL star Chris Sandow skips jail after breaching court order several times

Former NRL star Chris Sandow has narrowly avoided jail after facing three counts of driving without a licence disqualified by a court order.

Former NRL star Chris Sandow arrives at Ipswich Court. Photo Steve Pohlner

A former NRL star has narrowly avoided jail after breaching a court order three times in a month.

Christopher Carl Gene Sandow, who played 159 games throughout his career, faced three counts of driving without a licence disqualified by a court order.

The 36-year-old pleaded guilty to all offences in Ipswich Magistrates Court on Wednesday.

The former Parramatta Eels halfback was caught refuelling at three separate service stations before driving off in Brisbane’s Annerley and Ipswich’s Silkstone and Raceview between November 3 and December 1 last year.

Police looked at the CCTV footage at the locations and identified Sandow as the driver of the vehicle.

The court heard that Sandow declined to speak to them when he was given the opportunity over the occasions.

The court disqualified his licence for two years in 2023 over similar offendings.

Former NRL star Chris Sandow on driving charges. Picture: Steve Pohlner

Acting magistrate Robert Turra said it is aggravating as his history showed up to seven times of unlicensed driving.

“If these matters were before the court in December last year when you received that period of 200 hours community services, the court would have imposed a greater punishment,” he said.

“I don’t see a short period of imprisonment serving any benefit that allows you to continue with the work that you’ve been doing under supervision of probation.”

Defence lawyer Paddy O’Donnell said Sandow was unaware of these charges when he last faced court.

“Looking at these three charges before the court, he would have no doubt got a greater penalty than what he did do,” he said.

“This is somewhat bizarre that it happened before the sentence back in December.

“He has engaged with probation for those hours.”

Mr Turra said it would be more beneficial for Sandow to serve community services under supervision, so he imposed a four months’ jail sentence but granted him immediate parole release.

Sandow had his heyday right after making his NRL debut for the South Sydney Rabbitohs in 2008 as he was recognised with a rookie award. He played 84 games for them before switching to Parramatta in 2012.

Originally published as NRL star Chris Sandow skips jail after breaching court order several times