Camp pair fined, facing charges

THE high-profile case of Latrell Mitchell and Josh AddoCarr breaching social distancing rules could ultimately make the NRL’S return safer, says Laurie Daley.

Mitchell and Addo-carr have now been formally charged with firearms offences emerging from the now infamous hunting and camping trip on the NSW mid-north coast.

Mitchell attended Taree police station yesterday morning, a day after the pair and Newcastle Knights player Tyronne Roberts-davis were fined $1000 for breaching COVID-19 health restrictions.

The Rabbitohs superstar surrendered his gun licence and three firearms, including the shotgun Addo-carr is alleged to have shot in a video uploaded on social media.

Mitchell’s gun licence has been formally suspended and will face a charge of giving a firearm to a person not authorised by a licence or permit. The charge carries a maximum term of five years in jail. AddoCarr will face a charge of using an unauthorised firearm.

Both players will appear in Taree Local Court on August 4.

Mitchell and Addo-carr were slapped with $20,000 fines by the NRL for breaching social distancing protocols.

They were hit with $50,000 penalties but with 60 per cent suspended.

Both stars, plus RobertsDavis, will also have a oneweek suspension hanging over them for the rest of the season but will be free to play round 3 on May 28.

“I think it’s made more people more aware of what their responsibilities are,” Daley told Sky Sports Radio.

“I think they will see what these two guys are about to face and think ‘I don’t want to be doing that’. ‘I don’t want to put my game at risk or be on the back page of the paper and get myself in trouble’.