Michael Slater Given Suspended Sentence for Domestic Violence

Former Australian cricketer Michael Slater has received a four-year prison sentence, which has been partially suspended, after he admitted guilt to several charges related to domestic violence.

The 55-year-old will be released from custody promptly, given that he has already been incarcerated for over a year following the denial of his bail in 2024.

Slater, who played in 74 Test matches for Australia between 1993 and 2001, acknowledged guilt on two counts of common assault, one of illegally striking another individual, one of assault causing physical harm, burglary, and two of inflicting strangulation.

During the sentencing hearing, Judge Glen Cash noted that “alcoholism is intrinsic to his character” and cautioned Slater that his recovery would “prove difficult.”
“It is evident that you struggle with alcohol,” Judge Cash commented.

Slater, who collapsed and required assistance from corrections officers after a Queensland court rejected his bail application in April 2024, has remained imprisoned for slightly over a year.

During his eight-year international career, the former opening batter accumulated over 5,000 Test runs, featuring 14 centuries and 21 half-centuries. Following his retirement in 2004, he transitioned to commentary, contributing to Channel 4 in the UK and later to Australia’s Seven Network, which ended his contract in 2021.

This isn’t Slater’s first encounter with legal issues. In 2022, a Sydney court mandated a two-year community corrections order after he admitted guilt to charges that encompassed common assault and attempted stalking of a woman.