Updated
Former Gold Coast Titans and Brisbane Broncos player Steve Michaels has been committed to stand trial over a cocaine scandal that rocked the NRL, after he allegedly dealt cocaine to himself and others at various Gold Coast suburbs, a court has heard.
The 31-year-old was playing for the Titans when more than six past and present players were swept up in a Crime and Corruption Commission (CCC) investigation that included codehopper Karmichael Hunt.
Mr Michaels appeared at Southport Magistrates Court where he was committed to stand trial on 10 charges of supplying cocaine during the 2014 season.
The court heard Mr Michaels lives at Mermaid Beach and works in Brisbane.
The other players at the centre of the allegations have already had their matters dealt with, but Mr Michaels spent two years playing football overseas and returned to Australia last November.
Lawyer Campbell MacCallum said Mr Michaels was in England before he was charged.
“[Mr Michaels] handed himself in on his return,” Mr MacCallum said.
Mr Michaels did not enter a plea and will face trial in the District Court at a later date.
The court heard two of the witness statements tendered to the court were from Queensland Reds player Karmichael Hunt, who is a former Bronco and was with the Gold Coast Suns when he was caught up in the CCC sting.
Topics:
courts-and-trials,
law-crime-and-justice,
rugby-league,
sport,
southport-4215,
qld,
australia,
brisbane-4000
First posted