Former Fox Sports chief rugby league reporter James Hooper pleaded guilty in Sydney’s Downing Centre Local Court on Monday to high‑range drink‑driving after a July crash that destroyed three parked cars and cost him his role at the broadcaster.
Magistrate Christine Haskett imposed an 18‑month community corrections order, recorded a conviction, and fined Hooper A$2,000. Hooper, 47, was disqualified from driving for six months and ordered to continue a treatment plan devised by Elite Athlete Wellbeing Services as part of the court order. He also pleaded guilty to three counts of failing to provide particulars to the owners of the damaged vehicles.
The crash occurred about 7:30 p.m. on July 31 on Allen Street in the Sydney inner‑west suburb of Leichhardt, where Hooper’s Ford utility struck three parked cars. CCTV footage from a nearby house showed sparks at the moments of impact. A member of the public called Triple Zero and police located Hooper nearby. He returned an initial positive test and a later breath analysis at Newtown police station that registered 0.253.
Prosecutors did not seek to be heard after Hooper’s solicitor, Paul McGirr, provided written material and made final submissions. McGirr said the breath reading was "extremely high" and described a turning point in his client’s life, telling the court Hooper had been drinking since he was 13 and that the problem had never been properly addressed.
Court documents and submissions said Hooper tracked down the owners of the damaged vehicles after the crash, hired cars for them while repairs were carried out and paid about A$75,000 to repair the vehicles. He also provided a letter of remorse and several character references to the court. Hooper has attended 45 Alcoholics Anonymous meetings since the incident and has engaged with counselling and a rehabilitation program through Elite Athlete Wellbeing Services.
Two counsellors from that program, Jan Earl and Lani Rigby, attended court to support Hooper. McGirr said the service devised a tailored plan for Hooper, including treatment for mental health issues such as depression. Hooper has also worked at a soup kitchen in Woolloomooloo while undergoing treatment, according to submissions.
Hooper’s employment with Fox Sports ended after he was charged. Fox Sports managing director Steve Crawley said Hooper had contributed to the network since joining in 2016 but had "battled significant personal issues from time to time." McGirr commended Crawley for providing support, including a written reference. Hooper also left radio station Triple M after the charges were laid.
Outside court, McGirr said his client had learned from a "grave mistake" but still faced "a mountain to climb." Hooper told media after his arrest that he had "let the game of rugby league, my employers, my wife and kids down terribly," and said the episode might be the jolt he needed to change his life.
Hooper began his career at The Daily Telegraph before moving to Fox Sports, where he appeared on programs such as NRL 360 and worked across television, radio, online and print. He was a well‑known voice in rugby league coverage.
The court heard Hooper has a prior record of alcohol‑related incidents. In July 2017 he was fined A$400 and lost his licence for three months after pleading guilty to low‑range drink‑driving. He was arrested for drink‑driving in rural Victoria in 2019, and in 2018 he was found passed out on the bonnet of a car in Maroubra; a charge of destroying or damaging property from that incident was later withdrawn.
Magistrate Haskett recorded a conviction for the offence of not providing particulars at the scene of the July crash but did not impose an additional fine for that count. The community corrections order requires Hooper to continue with the treatment program and comply with other conditions set by the court for its duration.