Pomersbach banned by Warriors until 2010-11

Luke Pomersbach has escaped a jail sentence but has been banned by Western Australia until the end of the 2010-11 season after admitting to assaulting a police officer during a drunken rampage. However, Pomersbach could be back in action for the Warriors as early as January 2010, if he meets certain conditions outlined by the state.

Pomersbach pleaded guilty to six charges in Perth Magistrates Court on Friday, including driving with a blood alcohol level in excess of .08 and obstructing police. He was fined $3500 and had his driving licence suspended for six months over the series of events in the Perth beachside suburb of Scarborough on Sunday night.

The charges included assaulting one of the police officers who tried to arrest him after a series of traffic incidents, although the policeman suffered only minor injuries after being pushed by Pomersbach. But while Pomersbach was not sentenced to jail, the Western Australian Cricket Association has banned him from representing the state in any form of cricket until the end of the 2010-11 season.

His resumption date could be brought forward to January 1, 2010, if Pomersbach attends all medical and counseling sessions as required by the WACA and strictly adheres to the terms of his playing contract. The WACA has also fined Pomersbach $10,000, of which $5000 may be suspended if he satisfies their requirements, and banned him from training with the state squad until at least October 1.

Until then, Pomersbach will train under the supervision of an individual nominated by the Warriors coach Tom Moody and he would remain eligible to play for his club side Gosnells. Moody was one of several cricket identities who provided character references for Pomersbach in court, along with Adam Gilchrist, Justin Langer and Geoff Marsh.

Pomersbach, who has played one Twenty20 international for Australia and appeared for Kings XI Punjab in the IPL, had been drinking on Sunday before he drove his Toyota Prado and crashed twice on his way home. He pleaded guilty to failing to stop, failing to accompany police, having a blood-alcohol level in excess of 0.08, assaulting a public officer, obstructing police and escaping legal custody.

Police said Pomersbach crashed his car into the back of a parked vehicle and then drove away before crashing into a loaded rubbish skip, shunting it into a pergola attached to a house. The police then followed a trail of oil to Pomersbach's house, where he was arrested.

However, police said Pomersbach then struggled with the officers as he was being placed into the police car and pushed one officer into the window of Pomersbach's house, breaking the window. Police said Pomersbach then ran away from the officers and was eventually tracked by a police sniffer dog and found in sand dunes.