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Sport
By Cameron Gooley

'No greater punishment': Greg Inglis remorseful after escaping drink driving charge

The Rugby League star said he was happy with his sentence.

Rugby league player Greg Inglis has been handed a 18-month good behaviour bond for drink driving in NSW last year.

He appeared at the Downing Centre for sentencing, and the court was told of his contributions to the community in youth work and as an indigenous mentor.

Inglis was on his way home to Sydney from the Koori Knockout in Dubbo in October, 2018, and had just been announced as Australian Captain.

After playing the Indigenous football competition, Inglis went back to his hotel between 11:00pm and 1:00am.

He then left Dubbo for Sydney about 12:00pm the next day and was pulled over by police in Lithgow and was found with a blood alcohol level of 0.085.

He was stripped of the Kangaroos' captaincy team and suspended for two Tests matches.

Chief Magistrate Graeme Henson did not record a conviction and noted Inglis' remorse, good character, community work and early guilty plea.

The court heard the loss had hit Inglis especially hard and he completed a traffic offenders program and publicly apologised for his actions at several press conferences.

"It's a credit to you," the judge said.

"I can think of no greater punishment than being stripped of the captaincy."

Outside the Downing Centre, Inglis said he was happy with the sentence.

"I'm very grateful for getting the outcome that we did," he said.

"Regardless of the outcome, it was a very poor decision on my behalf."

"I'm very sorry, very remorseful."

In October, after he was handed the two-game suspension, Inglis apologised for his actions and said they were "not good enough".

"I know where I stand in the game as a role model to the community," he said.

"I know I did the wrong thing and, while I am disappointed at missing the tour, I accept the penalty."

Inglis was replaced as the Kangaroos skipper by Roosters premiership co-captain Boyd Cordner, while his Rabbitohs teammate Dane Gagai took his place in the 19-man squad.

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