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SYDNEY - Former Australian Football League (AFL) star Wayne Carey's list of shame grew longer yesterday when he was sacked by Channel Nine amid revelations he was facing domestic violence charges in the United States.
Carey, who left the North Melbourne AFL club in disgrace in 2002 when he was caught having an affair with teammate Anthony Stevens' wife, was given his marching orders by the broadcaster.
Just three days after the 36-year-old was arrested by Victoria Police during a domestic dispute, it was revealed today that Carey is also facing felony charges in Florida over an incident last October.
Carey's girlfriend Kate Neilson told police in Miami that he smashed a wine glass on her face, cutting her mouth and neck.
Police reports said Carey then assaulted police, kicking one officer in the mouth and elbowing another in the face, when they woke him at the five-star Mandarin Oriental Hotel.
He was taken to Dade County jail where he was charged with assaulting a public servant, resisting an officer with violence, and aggravated battery.
He is due to face the Miami-Dade County Court on February 15.
Nine Network managing director Jeffrey Browne released a statement saying it would not be renewing its contract with Carey, who established a media career after retiring from the sport.
"That contract expired at the end of last season and while negotiations had commenced for a new contract, Nine had now terminated those negotiations," the statement said.
Carey played 271 AFL matches for North Melbourne and the Adelaide Crows before retiring in 2004.
On Tuesday, Fairfax News Network, owner of 3AW, said Carey had lost his special comments spot to retired Collingwood skipper Nathan Buckley, but that his run-in with police this week had nothing to do with his axing.
He was pepper sprayed and arrested for assaulting police during a domestic dispute with Neilson at his home in Port Melbourne.
Miami Police Detective Delrish Moss said Carey was arrested last year on charges of assault on a public servant, aggravated battery and resisting arrest with violence.
The first two charges carry jail terms of up to 15 years, and the third up to five years in jail, he said.
Each charge also carries a fine of up to US$10,000 ($13,027).
Controversy has followed Carey, who was embroiled in public debate after comments he made about AFL player Nathan Thompson's experience with depression.
He later apologised for his "insensitive" comments.
Carey's sordid off-field behaviour has included:
September 1996: Carey convicted of indecent assault after grabbing a woman's breast outside a King Street nightclub and tells her: "Why don't you get a bigger pair of tits".
March 2002: Carey caught having an affair with the wife of teammate and close friend Anthony Stevens and leaves the North Melbourne AFL club in disgrace.
February 2003: A 19-year-old Adelaide woman claims she took a photo of a partying Carey, naked except for a T-shirt.
August 2005: Carey leaves a crowd of 200 guests at a Gold Coast sportsman's lunch stunned when he opens his speech with a joke about his affair with Stevens' wife.
February 2006: Carey separates from wife Sally less than two months after the birth of their first child.
October 2007: Carey allegedly attacks his girlfriend Katie Neilson while on holiday in the US and assaults police called to their Miami hotel room.
January 2008: Carey arrested for assaulting police during a domestic dispute with Neilson at his home in Port Melbourne.
- NZPA
