- Former NRL player Stuart Webb has been charged with refusing a breath test
- The ex-Rabbitohs hooker was pulled over by police in Sydney’s east
Kate Ritchie’s ex-husband and former NRL player Stuart Webb has been charged with refusing a breath test.
The 44-year-old former Sydney Roosters hooker was pulled over in Sydney by Eastern Suburbs Police Area Command at 11.10pm on May 5.
Webb was charged with refusing to submit a breath analysis and driving an unregistered vehicle.
He was listed to appear at Waverley Local Court on Wednesday and the hearing was adjourned to be heard again at Downing Local Court on July 9.
Mr Webb has previously been caught drink driving by police on five occasions.
He was most recently charged with drink driving in 2019, with court documents stating that it was his ‘fifth PCA (prescribed contention of alcohol) offence since 1999.’
Kate Ritchie’s (right) former husband, Stuart Webb (left) has been charged with refusing a breath test
Mr Webb has been dealt with for drink driving five times in the past, between 1999 and 2019
Two of those incidents are understood to have taken place in 2012 and 2017, while he was married to Ms Ritchie.
He was handed a six-month driving ban in 2019 and an interlock device was fitted to his car for 24 months.
A magistrate had told Mr Webb he was ‘lucky he hasn’t been sent to jail’ noting that his driving record was ‘appalling’.
The former Sydney Roosters star was placed on a conditional release order for two years.
In 2003, Mr Webb was signed by the Sydney Roosters and made his debut for the club later that year.
After two seasons at Moore Park, he’d hop over to rivals, South Sydney.
A year later, he’d move again, joining up with St George, where he would make 19 appearances across the 2008-2009 season, before stepping away from NRL football.
After hanging up his footy boots Mr Webb would pursued a career as a chef.
Mr Webb was also handed an AVO was to protect Ms Ritchie in 2019. NSW Police were ‘investigating and incident at the couple’s home in Randwick’
The couple were wed in 2010 and welcomed their daughter Mae in 2014. They later split up in 2020
At the end of that season, Mr Webb proposed to radio personality Ritchie during a European getaway.
The pair are understood to have begun dating in 2008.
They subsequently tied the knot at a countryside outdoor ceremony at Quamby Estate in Tasmania in 2010, but after nearly 10 years of marriage, they chose to part ways in 2020.
They would also have a baby girl, Mae, in 2014.
Rumours had swirled that their marriage was on the rocks in 2019, with Mr Webb subsequently being hit with an apprehended violence order (AVO) in 2019.
The order was made for the Home and Away star’s protection.
It came as a NSW Police spokesperson confirmed officers were ‘investigating an incident at a home in Randwick’ where it was understood the couple had lived, but no charges were laid.
Conditions of the AVO state that Mr Webb was ‘not to approach or be in the company of Katherine Leigh Ritchie for at least 12 hours after drinking alcohol or taking illicit drugs.’
Mr Webb made 88 appearances in the NRL, playing for the Sydney Roosters, South Sydney Rabbitohs and St George, between 2003 and 2009
He was also required not to threaten, stalk or harass the TV star.
Despite that, Ms Ritchie and her ex-husband have reunited on several occasions, most notably to attend their daughter Mae’s football matches.
Ms Ritchie, who had gone public with new boyfriend Will Skelton, and Mr Webb cut friendly figures as they shared a happy chat on the field.
They had also reunited to celebrate their daughter’s 10th birthday last year.
