Former NRL star James Roberts has had drug possession and suspected stolen goods charges officially dropped.
It brings relief to the ex-representative centre as he looks to move forward with his life.
Roberts, who was charged in November 2024, had been accused of possessing 0.3 grams of marijuana and $1,400 in allegedly unlawfully obtained cash.
The 2015 Dally M Centre of the Year maintained his innocence throughout the process, and his lawyer, Elias Makhoul, confirmed outside court that the charges had been withdrawn due to a lack of evidence.
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“The reason that [the charges were withdrawn,] simply put, was ... that having cash is not an offence, and you’re allowed to have cash,” Makhoul told The Sydney Morning Herald.
“I know there’s a big push to move towards a cashless society, but it’s incumbent on the prosecution to be able to prove that anything in your custody [is] stolen or unlawfully obtained, and they just have no evidence that it was obtained from unlawful means, and there was no suggestion that it was nefariously obtained.”
Regarding the drug charge, Makhoul clarified that the small amount of cannabis was not found on Roberts himself.
“There was another person in the vehicle, and it was found in their possession, not in Mr Roberts’ possession, so there’s no suggestion that he was in possession of the drugs,” he added.
“He’s relieved to have this out of his way so he can move on with his life.”
Roberts played 168 NRL games across an 11-year career, representing clubs including the South Sydney Rabbitohs, Penrith Panthers, Gold Coast Titans, Brisbane Broncos, and Wests Tigers. He also played for New South Wales in the 2018 State of Origin series.
While his career was defined by speed and flair on the field, Roberts was also no stranger to off-field controversy and struggled with injuries throughout his playing days.
In June 2023, Roberts was found guilty without a conviction being recorded of contravening an apprehended domestic violence order.
He was sentenced to a 15-month conditional release order, which is set to expire on September 24, 2025.