Drink-driving NRL star's career in doubt

Paul Carter's NRL career is in serious doubt following his second drink-driving conviction in six months.

Carter, 22, pleaded guilty on Thursday in the Southport Magistrates Court to mid-range drink-driving and driving while unlicensed.

He has already been told his $150,000 contract with the Titans will almost certainly be torn up following his arrest on Saturday.

Magistrate Paul Johnstone fined Carter $2600 and disqualified him from holding a driver's licence for 42 months.

When Carter's existing suspension from his previous drink-driving conviction in July is added, he will be unable to drive until 2019.

Thursday's ruling is likely to be followed with confirmation of his sacking by the Titans at a board hearing on Friday.

Carter's lawyer, Campbell MacCullum, argued his client would be deregistered by the NRL for his behaviour and would probably have to go overseas to continue his rugby league career.

Mr Johnstone said Carter's behaviour was of more concern than his profession.

"I don't care whether your client is a star. Members of the community have been placed at risk because of your client's driving," he said.

Carter was pulled over early on Saturday morning after police saw his vehicle without headlights on.

When police pursued the vehicle, they noticed Carter swapping seats with his girlfriend before the vehicle struck a pedestrian crossing sign and came to a stop.

Carter blew a blood alcohol level of 0.134 following his arrest.

Mr MacCullum told the court Carter had panicked when he realised his arrest would almost certainly cost him his Titans contract, which he was in the process of upgrading.

Mr Johnstone reminded Carter the consequences of his actions could have been much worse and he was lucky no one had been harmed.

Carter's manager, Clinton Schifcofske, was the only support for the utility forward at the hearing.

It's a dramatic fall from grace for the Titans rookie of the year, who made his NRL debut in March and played 21 games this season.

It was revealed in court on Thursday that Carter had also been fined in March for failing to move on when directed by police.

Carter, the son of Penrith legend Steve Carter, was fined $12,000 by the Titans and slapped with a two-match suspension for his first drinking-driving offence in June.