Brandon Smith holidaying in Noosa on Sunshine Coast as he faces drug and betting charges
Brandon Smith is being prosecuted by Queensland Police, but that is not stopping him from spending more time in the Sunshine State.
As the reverberations of the charges he is facing for allegedly helping supply drugs to former teammate Victor Radley and providing insider information on his return from injury - that led to an unsuccessful bet being placed on Smith to score a try - continue to be felt in the NRL, it has been reported Smith has spent the last week on the Sunshine Coast.
It’s an interesting choice of location for the Souths star to lay low, as it is where he allegedly organised for Radley to receive cocaine while on a Roosters golf trip in June and where Smith was embroiled in a white powder scandal with former Storm teammates Cameron Munster and Chris Lewis.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.That incident in 2021 led to the trio each receiving a one-match ban and a $50,000 fine.
Smith’s lawyer Paul McGirr has said his client will fight the charges levelled by Queensland Police last week when he was issued a court summons for next month.
There is no suggestion of wrongdoing by Radley or any other Roosters players who attended the Sunshine Coast trip, which occurred during the club’s bye round.
Smith was seen having dinner at Betty’s Burgers in Noosa on Tuesday night and then playing the pokies while enjoying a few beers on Wednesday, the Daily Telegraph reports.
“At this stage the matter will be contested,” his lawyer Paul McGirr told News Corp.
“The allegation confirms Brandon wasn’t even in the jurisdiction of Queensland at the time of the alleged offending.
“The police have been extremely professional in dealing with Brandon and myself thus far, and the matter will need to be left to run its natural course without outside influences.”
Souths and the NRL are refusing to stand Smith down from playing in the last round of the NRL season against the Roosters next week.
Rabbitohs coach Wayne Bennett said Smith was “coping fine” and he would stand by his player because everybody had the “presumption of innocence.”
