Ezra Mam's previous driving offences revealed in disturbing new details about Broncos star
The NRL player has had his license suspended three times in the last three years.
New details have been revealed about Ezra Mam and his driving record, including the fact he had four previous driving offences since 2021 before his recent crash. The Brisbane Broncos star was hit with an $850 fine and disqualified from driving for six months this week after he crashed in October while unlicensed and had cocaine in his system, although no conviction was recorded.
A four-year-old girl was injured in the collision and reportedly suffered a broken hip. The $850 punishment for Mam has been widely criticised and led to calls for law changes in Queensland.
And the situation has now deepened after the Courier Mail revealed Mam's driving record on Saturday. The publication has cited court documents that he had less than 0.01mg/L of cocaine in his system when he crashed after using it socially the day before. Mam was reportedly moving house and decided to get behind the wheel, even though his license was suspended until November 20.
And the reason his license was suspended has now been revealed. According to the Courier Mail, the 22-year-old copped four demerit points and a $1161 fine for using his phone while behind the wheel in May, which triggered the suspension.
His license has reportedly been suspended three times since 2021 for a range of offences. As well as the mobile phone offence, he's also been caught failing to stop at a red light, exceeding the speed limit by less than 13km/h, not wearing a seatbelt properly and failing to pay a debt.
It looks as though Mam is on a provisional license, which only affords drivers four points over a 12-month period. On every occasion he's had his license suspended he's also been hit with a late-night driving restriction - which is only imposed on drivers on provisional licenses.
Ezra Mam set to be sanctioned by NRL and Broncos
The NRL and Broncos are expected to hand out their own sanctions to Mam, which will be much heavier than the $850 fine he got in court. “I now understand how dangerous and irresponsible my actions were - not only for myself but for everyone on the road that day,” he said this week after learning his fate. “I deeply regret my decisions and the harm they could have caused.
“Through this process, I have come to realise how much I need to grow, and the effort required to regain the trust of those I have let down. I am determined to prove through my actions that I have learned from this and am ready to contribute positively to my community.”
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Ezra Mam penalty sparks talk of law changes in Queensland
On Tuesday, the state government joined the outcry over the penalty handed to Mam, who re-signed with the Broncos in February on a five-year contract worth $4 million. "I think it's disgraceful," Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie told reporters. "It was a slap on the wrist."
Queensland's Attorney-General Deb Frecklington flagged the possibility of law changes. "I can understand that for many Queenslanders, this outcome doesn't pass the pub test," she said in a statement. "Most Queenslanders would expect that the penalty for a driver who's found to have drugs in their system would be more severe than the penalty for using a mobile phone behind the wheel. I will be consulting with my colleagues, in particular the transport minister, and considering what changes can be made to our laws."
with AAP
