Latrell Mitchell to face court over firearm charge after coronavirus camping trip near Taree
NRL superstar Latrell Mitchell is expected to be hit with firearm charges after he and Josh Addo-Carr were part of a now-infamous hunting trip which breached coronavirus public health orders.
NRL star Latrell Mitchell will be served a summons as early as today to appear in court on a firearms offence emerging from his now infamous hunting and camping trip on the NSW mid-north coast.
Mitchell attended Taree police station on Tuesday morning, a day after he and fellow NRL players Josh Addo-Carr and Tyronne Roberts-Davis were fined $1000 for breaching COVID-19 health restrictions.
Addo-Carr is also being investigated in relation to a possible firearms charge following the weekend trip to Mitchell’s property at Caffrey’s Flat, west of Taree.
Mitchell walked into Taree police station on Tuesday morning and briefly spoke with officers.
He surrendered three firearms and his gun licence, which has been suspended.
Another three guns stored in Sydney are also expected to be seized.
Mitchell is expected to be charged under a section of the NSW Firearms Act (1996) which states a person must not give possession of a firearm to another person unless the other person is authorised to possess the firearm by a licence or permit, or is otherwise authorised to have possession of the firearm.
The charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in jail.
Addo-Carr had uploaded images of the men, along with Newcastle Knights player Roberts-Davis and about nine other people, showing them at the property and riding trail bikes on a beach about 200km away between South West Rocks and Hat Head.
The social media images prompted an NRL investigation and saw them fined by police with failing to adhere to the coronavirus lockdown laws.
Addo-Carr
had been warned twice in 11 days for violating COVID-19 restrictions before he was caught for a third time on a weekend camping trip that has thrown the NRL into crisis.
The NRL was hit with another fresh controversy on Tuesday after Penrith Panthers star Nathan Cleary became the latest player to be caught up in a social-distancing drama after images on the Penrith halfback emerged with a group of girls.
The NRL are investigating claims
Cleary broke social distancing rules on Anzac Day when a group of women visited his western Sydney home.
Commentator Phil Gould, who said Addo-Carr and Mitchell should be
suspended for the remainder of the 2020 NRL season, said Cleary should face the same fate.
“No excuse. Serious breach. Granted Nathan says the incident was not planned, which obviously differs from the Josh/Latrell situation, however, players need to be vigilant. They need to protect themselves, their teammates, and the game. For mine, blanket penalties should apply.
https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/n...e/news-story/ed68ab58046863ece3173c3ebd20d125
