Islamabad, 22 April 2025: Michael Slater has been handed a partially suspended four-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to multiple domestic violence offences.
However, the former Test opener will not serve additional time in jail, as he has already spent over a year in custody following his bail refusal in 2024.
Now 55, Slater admitted to a series of serious charges, including two counts of common assault, one count of unlawful striking, one of assault causing bodily harm, burglary, and two charges of strangulation.
These incidents formed part of a troubling pattern of behaviour linked to personal struggles with addiction and mental health.
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Presiding over the case, Queensland Supreme Court Judge Glen Cash said Slater’s history of alcohol abuse had contributed significantly to his actions.
He told the former cricketer that recovery would be a long and difficult journey, adding that his alcoholism was a deeply rooted issue.
Slater had collapsed during a court hearing in April 2024 when his bail application was rejected. He was assisted by prison staff at the time and has remained behind bars since then.
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During his playing days, Slater was known for his aggressive batting at the top of the order, scoring over 5,000 runs in 74 Tests for Australia from 1993 to 2001, including 14 centuries.
After retiring from international cricket in 2004, he transitioned into media, working as a commentator for Channel 4 in the UK and later for Australia’s Seven Network, which dropped him in 2021.
This is not Slater’s first legal trouble. In 2022, he received a two-year community corrections order in Sydney after admitting to charges of common assault and attempted stalking.
The former athlete’s legal team has indicated that he will now begin rehabilitation efforts as part of his suspended sentence conditions.
