NRL stars Latrell Mitchell and Josh Addo-Carr have been charged with firearms offences following a police investigation into the players’ controversial camping trip.
The high-profile South Sydney and Melbourne players were caught flouting COVID-19 guidelines after spending the weekend with several other men in Taree.
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Alongside photos of the gathering, Addo-Carr shared videos on social media of him shooting a gun.
Police will claim Mitchell gave a firearm to a person not authorised to use it, and he has now had his licence suspended and a number of guns seized by police.
The players have been issued notices to appear in court on August 4.
“Yesterday, officers attached to Manning-Great Lakes Police District commenced an investigation into alleged breaches of the Public Health Act 2010 (NSW),” NSW police said.
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“During the course of the investigation, police were alerted to alleged offences under the Firearms Act 1996 (NSW).”
Mitchell attended Taree police station on Tuesday morning, where he was “issued with a Future Court Attendance Notice for the offence of give firearm to person not authorised by licence/permit”.
“His firearms licence was suspended, and a number of firearms were seized by police,” the NSW police statement read.
Addo-Carr was charged over the alleged unauthorised use of a firearm.
NRL comes down hard on COVID-19 breaches
The NRL on Tuesday sent a major warning to all players that coronavirus guidelines must be followed.
Mitchell and Addo-Carr were handed $50,000 fines – with 60 per cent on hold – and a suspended one-match ban for flouting stay-at-home orders.
“It’s certainly hard to accept such behaviour when the game is doing everything it can to persuade the community that its players are responsible and behave appropriately,” ARL Commission chairman Peter V’landys said.
“The penalties have been structured so as to give these players one further opportunity to demonstrate that they can be trusted.
In the video below: NRL boss hands down COVID-19 punishments
“If they contravene again, then those parts of the penalty that have been suspended will be activated and they may also be subject to further sanction.”
Acting NRL chief executive officer Andrew Abdo said the league’s fines for breaching COVID-19 guidelines made no judgement on any alleged criminal activities.
“We’ll wait for any criminal matter that’s investigated by the police and make our judgements following that,” he said, speaking before the charges were laid.
“We’ll review the findings of the police and then we’ll be in a better situation to determine if anything further is required.”
– with AAP