Penrith Panthers half-back Nathan Cleary has been fined 1,000 Australian dollars by New South Wales Police for breaking social-distancing rules on ANZAC Day.
The punishment is the latest to be meted out to Cleary after pictures and social media footage emerged of five women gathering at his house on April 25.
The women involved were all fined, although Clearly initially escaped punishment from the authorities – claiming his guests were simply waiting for a taxi at his residence.
However, the investigation was re-opened after new information emerged and the 22-year-old has now been similarly sanctioned.
A police statement read: "A man has been issued a $1,000 Penalty Infringement Notice (PIN) by police conducting inquiries into the circumstances surrounding a group not complying with Ministerial Directions in Sydney's west.
"Officers from Nepean Police Area Command initiated an investigation after photos and videos were shared on social media concerning an incident at a home in Penrith on Saturday 25 April 2020.
"Following inquiries, police issued PINs to five women – aged in their late teens to early 20s – for failing to comply with a Ministerial Direction on Thursday 30 April 2020.
"A 22-year-old man, who was filmed in the videos, was spoken to by police at the time.
"Following information received and further inquiries, the man was issued a $1,000 PIN for non-essential travel via email about 2pm today (Wednesday 13 May 2020)."
Cleary's pocket had already been significantly hit by the NRL's integrity unit, which handed down a $30,000 punishment on top of an initial $10,0000 – 60 per cent of which was suspended – for providing an "untruthful" version of events when the league investigated the incident.
He will be banned for the first two games when Penrith's NRL campaign resumes in May.
Cleary's team-mate and housemate Tyrone May was fined $15,000 for his part, with a two-game suspension added to an existing four-match ban.
