All Blacks and Blues winger Caleb Clarke says he’s “deeply sorry and embarrassed” after being discharged without conviction for clocking speeds of 110km/h on a motorbike in a residential area.
“Just want to apologise for my actions, especially to the police for taking up their time and resource,” he told reporters in a prepared statement read outside court.
“This is all on me and I absolutely accept the consequences and respect the court’s decision today.”
On December 3, the 26-year-old was spotted by police travelling above the 80km/h speed limit on State Highway 16 shortly after midnight.
Police signalled for him to stop but he failed to do so, travelling at speed as he took the Great North Rd off-ramp towards Blockhouse Bay.
He was clocked travelling 110km/h along a 50km/h stretch of Great North Rd.
Clarke then drove through a red light at the intersection of Rata St and Binsted Rd before dismounting on Great North Rd, where he was arrested.
He pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and failing to stop for police in February.
Clarke was discharged without conviction but was disqualified from driving for 12 months.
‘Deeply sorry and embarrassed’
The All Blacks star was charged after clocking speeds of 110km/h in a residential area last December. (Source: 1News)
The rugby star today apologised to his friends, family, fans and his employers for the distress caused.
“I recognise that I’m in a privileged position as a rugby player but that also comes with responsibilities that I didn’t uphold and I failed,” he said.
“I’ve learned from my mistakes, and I’m committed to set a better example through my actions.”
Clarke – the son of former All Black Eroni Clarke – said he no longer has the motorbike from the night of the incident, and has “taken steps to ensure I don’t put myself in that situation again”.
He also told reporters he was not under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time, but was riding on a learner’s licence and beyond curfew.
“I made some poor decisions, including riding too fast and endangering the safety of myself and others, and for that I’m deeply sorry and embarrassed.
“I can only apologise to all those I’ve let down through my actions and will seek to do better and be better in the future.”
A ‘humbling’ experience
Clarke said he was “ready to accept anything that was going to be happening and really grateful for the decision of the court today”.
“Again, I just know that I was wrong to do what I did.”
He called the monthslong court process a “humbling” experience.
“Just to see my family was probably one of the hardest things to put them through. It’s been a hard sort of road to get here,” he said, becoming emotional.
“Definitely humbling and just real grateful to finally move past it, eh?”
Clarke said the court process “impacted me a lot, especially throughout the year, not knowing and being in the unknown is probably the hardest part, especially coming up to today, so I’m finally grateful we can sort of go through that process and move forward from here now”.
“I’ll be working towards wanting to be a better example, especially for kids that want to play rugby in Aotearoa and I just want to make sure that to be a good example in the community.”
Clarke was named in the first All Blacks squad for the season today.
‘Tough day as a dad’ – Eroni Clarke
Clarke’s father Eroni and other family members were in court to support the All Black as he learned of today’s decision.
“Tough day as a dad – as a family as well, too,” Eroni Clarke told reporters. “But again, that’s, I think, one of the biggest things that Caleb has learned – it’s that there are consequences to decisions that we make and he understands that he is a role model, is seen as a role model, so he knows the consequences too.
“As you see, he’s really remorseful of his decisions that he made that night so it’s a good outcome today.”
