Disgraced AFL premiership player Ben Cousins could be jailed if convicted of serious traffic offences.
The former West Coast captain appeared in court on Thursday after handing himself in to police and was warned by the magistrate he could end up behind bars.
An arrest warrant was issued when Cousins failed to appear in Fremantle Magistrates Court on Wednesday morning to face the traffic charges, with his lawyer citing conflicting medical appointments for his absence.
Magistrate Steven Malley told Cousins the driving charges were serious and, if convicted, he faced a mandatory jail term.
"It doesn't matter if you're Mother Teresa or Jack The Ripper," he said.
Mr Malley also scolded Cousins' lawyer Aidan Kraus, who he said had given unwise legal advice and put his client in a predicament of breaching bail.
"I suspect it's not Mr Cousins' fault," he said.
Mr Malley accepted Cousins had a medical appointment but said it was at 12pm on Wednesday and just 500m down the road from the court.
"He would have been out of here by 10.10," he said.
"As an officer of the court, you've got to be frank with me and up front."
Mr Malley said unless Cousins was strapped to a bed or had broken his leg, he should have been in court.
He told Cousins, 36, he should continue receiving treatment for his issues and should spend more time at home to avoid trouble.
The 2005 Brownlow medallist was released on $5000 bail and is due back in court on May 13.
He is facing charges of reckless driving, failing to stop and refusing a breath test, stemming from an incident on March 11 when he allegedly led police on a low-speed chase from Bicton to Mosman Park.
Cousins has twice been hospitalised for mental health assessments following that incident - the first time after he breached security at an SAS base and the second time followed seemingly bizarre behaviour in Canning Vale, including climbing onto the roof of a house.
He has not been charged over those incidents.
Cousins fell from grace following a string of off-field incidents and substance abuse problems.
The father-of-two was suspended from the AFL for one year in 2007 for bringing the game into disrepute before making a comeback with Richmond. He retired in 2010.
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