5 Mar 2015

Hunt pleads guilty to cocaine possession

5:36 pm on 5 March 2015

Queensland Reds player Karmichael Hunt has pleaded guilty to four charges of cocaine possession, and he's been suspended for six weeks and fined $30,000.

Hunt has accepted these penalties, despite being contracted to another code during the time in question.

The 28-year-old Auckland-born player was contracted to AFL side the Gold Coast Suns at the time of the offending.

Police allege Hunt arranged to pick up the drug from a former professional rugby league player on four occasions from September 1 to October 3.

Hunt's lawyer Alastair McDougall told Southport Magistrates Court the 28-year-old had made "poor choices" and "he'll be paying for those choices for the rest of his life".

Karmichael Hunt arrives at the Southport magistrates court in Southport on the Gold Coast.

Karmichael Hunt arrives at the Southport magistrates court in Southport on the Gold Coast. Photo: AAP / Dave Hunt

It was alleged Hunt purchased a total of 12.5 grammes of cocaine from the four occasions.

Regarded as a possible bolter for Australia's Rugby World Cup squad, Hunt was charged after an investigation by Queensland's Crime and Corruption Commission.

He was stood down by the Reds pending the hearing and barred from training with the playing group.

The probe also swept up a number of professional rugby league players, casting a shadow over the launch of Australia's National Rugby League season.

Two Gold Coast Titans players were set to appear in the Southbridge Court this afternoon on supply charges connected to the cocaine case.

Hunt was formerly a Kangaroos and Queensland star and played in the National Rugby League with the Brisbane Broncos, who begin the NRL season at home to South Sydney on Thursday night.