All Black Jerome Kaino talks to the media after appearing in court today. Photo / Getty Images
All Black Jerome Kaino talks to the media after appearing in court today. Photo / Getty Images
KEY POINTS:
All Black Jerome Kaino today admitted drink driving when he appeared in court and accepted he had sent the wrong message to young fans.
After being fined and disqualified from driving, he said: "It doesn't send a positive message to the youngsters and I hope to rectify theseactions by getting on with life."
He said he expected disciplinary action from the NZRU. This was confirmed by his employers this afternoon.
"It's not good. I take full responsibility for my actions and totally regret what happened," Kaino said.
The loose forward was involved in a nose-to-tail accident in Auckland last month and was found to be over the legal limit after police breath-tested him.
The police summary of facts stated Kaino was stopped in a BMW on Dominion Rd.
He was breath-tested and found to be more than twice the legal at 834 micrograms of alcohol per litre of breath. The legal limit is 400.
Today he appeared in Auckland District Court charged with one count of drink driving.
He pleaded guilty and was fined $800 and ordered to pay $130 costs.
He was also disqualified from driving for six months.
Judge Burns told Kaino, who stood in the dock with his hands in his pockets, that he would be treated like any other person appearing in court.
Kaino played for the All Blacks in Saturday night's defeat to the Springboks.
It was Kaino's first appearance in court today but Judge Burns said he was encouraged by the report that the 25 year-old submitted.
Outside the court Kaino told waiting reporters that he was undergoing counselling.
All Blacks spokesman Scott Compton confirmed that a misconduct hearing would be taking place in the next two to three weeks.
He said the hearings are normally at rugby headquarters in Wellington and manager All Blacks manager Darren Shand would be present.
Last month Mr Shand told the Herald on Sunday that it would be disappointing if Kaino is found guilty and that drinking and driving is not acceptable.
