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An NRL star has apologised outside court after copping a fine for drink driving, marking his second off-field incident in months.<\/p>\n
Brisbane winger Josiah Karapani, 24, also had his licence suspended after pleading guilty to breaching the zero alcohol limit as a provisional driver following a night of drinking.<\/p>\n
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It was Josiah Karapani\u2019s second off-field indiscretion this season after he was previously stood down for a public nuisance offence in March.Bradley Kanaris<\/p>\n
Days after his late try kept the Broncos\u2019 title defence hopes alive, a remorseful Karapani fronted Brisbane\u2019s Holland Park Magistrates Court on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
He admitted to driving with a blood alcohol level of 0.037 after spending a night at a friend\u2019s place.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m very sorry for my actions,\u201d Karapani told media as he left court.<\/p>\n
It was his second off-field indiscretion this season after he was previously stood down by the Broncos for a public nuisance offence in March.<\/p>\n
Karapani was intercepted and breath-tested by police while behind the wheel of a silver Hyundai on the Pacific Motorway at MacGregor in Brisbane\u2019s south about 7am on July 28, the police prosecutor said.<\/p>\n
He was handed infringement notices for allegedly speeding at 119km\/h in a 100km zone.<\/p>\n
He was also fined for failing to display P-plates, driving an unregistered vehicle and driving an uninsured vehicle.<\/p>\n
Karapani was deeply remorseful after making the mistake of driving the morning after drinking, defence solicitor Abby Hawkins told magistrate Kerrie O\u2019Callaghan.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe was at a friend\u2019s house, he had consumed alcohol the night prior. He has woken up and he concedes he has miscalculated,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Hawkins sought a fine and minimum licence disqualification period with no conviction recorded for Karapani, given his youth and lack of a prior traffic or criminal record.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is punishment extended beyond the court. There is reputational damage that could be attached to the charge,\u201d Hawkins said.<\/p>\n
There will also be a punishment handed down through the NRL Integrity Unit, she said.<\/p>\n
A Broncos representative was in court to support Karapani, Hawkins said.<\/p>\n
O\u2019Callaghan said she accepted Karapani was remorseful.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou have made a mistake in miscalculating the timing of alcohol in your system,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Karapani was fined $350 and disqualified from driving for three months.<\/p>\n
O\u2019Callaghan did not record a conviction but warned Karapani the situation could be different if he offended again.<\/p>\n
Karapani scored a late try in the Broncos\u2019 14-12 win over Penrith in Sydney last week to keep Brisbane\u2019s slim premiership defence alive ahead of a trip to Townsville to face North Queensland on Saturday.<\/p>\n
The upset win marked Karapani\u2019s first game at NRL level since he was dropped by Brisbane\u2019s leadership group after he was hit with the drink-driving charge.<\/p>\n
He was also dropped for the round-five clash with the Gold Coast after he was fined $1001 for a public nuisance offence.<\/p>\n
Auckland-born Karapani has played 37 NRL games and scored 17 tries since his 2024 debut, chiming into the Broncos\u2019 premiership success last season.<\/p>\n
He is set on representing New Zealand at this year\u2019s Rugby League World Cup after being called into the Kiwis squad in 2025.<\/p>\n
AAP<\/p>\n
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