Latest news with #DallyMCentreOfTheYear
The Age
07-07-2025
- The Age
Ex-NRL star James Roberts cleared of drugs, cash charges
Former NRL star James Roberts is relieved after having his name cleared over charges of drug possession and suspected illegally obtained cash, his lawyer said outside court. In November, police charged the 2015 Dally M Centre Of The Year recipient with the prohibited possession of marijuana and suspected stolen goods, being $1400 in cash. The charges related to an incident in which he was stopped by police in Matraville on July 30 last year. On Monday morning, both charges were dismissed at Waverley Local Court, where Roberts did not appear. Speaking outside court, Roberts' lawyer Najee Makhoul said his client was relieved to put this all behind him. 'The reason that [the charges were withdrawn,] simply put, was... that having cash is not an offence, and you're allowed to have cash,' Makhoul said. 'I know there's a big push to move towards a cashless society, but it's incumbent on the prosecution to be able to prove that anything in your custody that is stolen or unlawfully obtained, and they just have no evidence that it was obtained from unlawful means, and there was no suggestion that it was nefariously obtained.' As for the drug possession charge, Makhoul said it related to 0.3 grams of cannabis leaf.
Sydney Morning Herald
07-07-2025
- Sydney Morning Herald
Ex-NRL star James Roberts cleared of drugs, cash charges
Former NRL star James Roberts is relieved after having his name cleared over charges of drug possession and suspected illegally obtained cash, his lawyer said outside court. In November, police charged the 2015 Dally M Centre Of The Year recipient with the prohibited possession of marijuana and suspected stolen goods, being $1400 in cash. The charges related to an incident in which he was stopped by police in Matraville on July 30 last year. On Monday morning, both charges were dismissed at Waverley Local Court, where Roberts did not appear. Speaking outside court, Roberts' lawyer Najee Makhoul said his client was relieved to put this all behind him. 'The reason that [the charges were withdrawn,] simply put, was... that having cash is not an offence, and you're allowed to have cash,' Makhoul said. 'I know there's a big push to move towards a cashless society, but it's incumbent on the prosecution to be able to prove that anything in your custody that is stolen or unlawfully obtained, and they just have no evidence that it was obtained from unlawful means, and there was no suggestion that it was nefariously obtained.' As for the drug possession charge, Makhoul said it related to 0.3 grams of cannabis leaf.
