Olympic gold medallist Chantelle Newbery had found a stable job, a fixed address, and was rebuilding her life before she was arrested and thrown in custody over historic drug-related matters.
asserted
she → find → matters
The former diving champion, 49, entered the dock in Brisbane Magistrates Court on Thursday for sentencing over 19 alleged offences, including possession of drugs and pipes, and driving under the influence.
asserted
champion → enter → influence
Wearing a white Puma T-shirt and grey tracksuit pants, Newbery - who was Australia's first female Olympic diving gold medalist - stood and watched intently as her lawyer Robert Burns made an adjournment application.
asserted
Burns → wear → application
Mr Burns told the court he had represented Newbery several times over the years, but that she represented herself after her arrest on August 25 and he hadn't been able to meet with her to discuss the court matters before sentencing on Thursday.
asserted
he → tell → Thursday
'She was held in a watch house in Brisbane for some days until she was transferred to the women's prison, so I've not been able to secure a conference with her,' he said.
asserted
he → hold → her
'I spoke with her briefly this morning ...
asserted
I → speak → her
she's anxious to have the matter dealt with.'
asserted
matter → have → ?
Outside court, Mr Burns told the Daily Mail that Newbery has genuinely come a long way since she last made headlines for drug charges three years ago - she has income, family support, and is 'making good progress'.
asserted
she → tell → progress
Mr Burns wasn't able to speak directly about matters currently before the court, but he said she was 'quite saddened and disappointed' when she was charged and remanded in custody over allegations from about a year ago.
asserted
she → speak → allegations
Chantelle Newbery is pictured outside the Brisbane Supreme Court in 2016
Chantelle Newbery is pictured outside her former home in Brisbane's west in 2023
Chantelle Newbery is pictured after winning gold at the 2004 Olympics in Athens
'I think it's fair to say that anybody who's made considerable progress in their life after going through a period of adversity, and then having to revisit these types of matters, would be feeling quite saddened and disappointed about the whole thing,' he said.
asserted
he → picture → thing
'Because she's been making good progress - if she hadn't, I wouldn't continue to be looking after her.'
asserted
I → make → her
Newbery struggled with addiction following her success as an athlete and has been jailed for theft and drug charges dating back 12 years.
asserted
Newbery → struggle → charges
Prior to 2023, Newbery asked her lawyer to hold on to her medals - three gold, four silver and two bronze from the Olympic and Commonwealth Games, and World Aquatic Championship between 1998 and 2006 - because she feared her former drug associates would steal them.
asserted
associates → ask → them
Three years later, Mr Burns still has them for safekeeping.
asserted
Burns → have → safekeeping
Her sporting achievements are a large part of the reason why he has always believed she was capable of rehabilitation.
asserted
she → believe → rehabilitation
'Chantelle worked very, very hard to achieve what she did for this country,' he said.
'
asserted
he → work → country
She represented the country at the highest level, and she achieved what nobody else before her had been able to do, and that doesn't happen without dedication and commitment and work.
asserted
that → represent → dedication
'
Robert Burns (pictured) has represented Chantelle Newbery for several years
Chantelle Newberry (pictured) has been before the courts for the last 12 years
Chantelle Newbery is pictured during the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne
asserted
Newbery → picture → Melbourne
Mr Burns said Australians put Olympians on a pedestal, and there's an expectation that they stay there even when their sporting careers are over.
asserted
careers → say → pedestal
'But people fall on hard times,' he said.
asserted
he → fall → times
'Just because somebody rises to the ranks of an Olympian doesn't mean that they are not without the struggles and the difficulties that average ordinary people face.'
asserted
people → rise → that
He said there's a lot of support while athletes are building their careers, and practically none when it's all over.
asserted
it → say → careers
Newbery herself previously told A Current Affair that winning gold at Athens was the greatest moment in her life, but it was difficult to cope with post-Olympic blues.
asserted
it → tell → blues
'A lot of athletes struggle after the Olympics,' Newbery said in 2014.
asserted
Newbery → struggle → 2014
'You're working your whole life towards a goal and then whether you achieve that goal or you don't, it comes to an end.
asserted
it → work → end
It's a big change in your life and I think we all struggle with it.'
asserted
we → think → it
Chantelle Newbery is pictured with her ex-husband Robert.
asserted
Newbery → picture → Robert
CHantelle Newbery is pictured competing during the 10m platform semifinal event, 21 August 2004, which she won
No bail application was made on Thursday, and Newbery was taken back into custody once the matter was adjourned.
asserted
matter → picture → custody
She has not yet entered a plea for charges including drug possession, possession of pipes or utensils, stealing, driving under the influence, failure to appear in court, and driving without a licence.
asserted
She → enter → licence
Other charges include possessing property suspected of being used in relation to a drug offence, and unlawfully possessing a relevant substance.
Mr Burns previously told the Mail that Newbery 'detests' the life she fell into.
asserted
she → include → life
He said Newbery had not developed the means to pull herself out of a drug-addled world 'that has become a normal existence for her', but he believed she could be rehabilitated.
uncertain
she → say → her
'It became evident that she wasn't getting the support that she needed - she needed help, and she needed stability.
asserted
she → become → stability
'She's a very intelligent and a very well-meaning person and she was in a cycle that she found hard to break free from.'
asserted
she → mean → cycle
Her matter will return to court on October 1.
asserted
matter → return → October
Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.
asserted
we → accept → article
The Aporia
