Former Australian batter Michael Slater was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment on April 22, 2025, after pleading guilty to domestic violence charges, but will walk free after serving more than a year in custody.
He was charged with domestic violence, stalking and strangulation concerning multiple incidents involving women in Queensland. The 55-year-old Michael Slater was remanded in police custody and charged with violence offences in April 2024.
The allegations included assault, strangulation, burglary and stalking about multiple incidents involving a woman in Noosa region. It is clear that he had collapsed in court when denied bail application last year.
During sentencing at Maroochydore District Court in Queensland on Tuesday, Judge Glen Cash told slater he was an alcoholic and that this was root cause of his problems. The judge also stated that the former cricketer’s rehabilitation would not be easy, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported.
The court heard that Slater had warned the victim not to report the harrasement, making threats of self-harm, and that is behaviour became increasingly erratic over time.
“It’s obvious Mr Slater that you are an alcoholic,” he told the court. “Your rehabilitation will not be easy – alcoholism is part of your make-up.”
Crown prosecutor Alex Star said Slater ought to receive a prison sentence ‘in the order’ of five years, with Parole eligibility after three.
Slater’s lawyer, Greg McGuire argued that the former cricketer should be given a three-year prison sentence with immediate parole.
He told the court that Michael Slater has been cooperating well with the judicial process and had abstained from alcohol for over a year while in prison.
McGuire further informed that Slater wishes to return to New South Wales, where his family resides. Judge Cash noted that Slater’s early guilty plea demonstrated ‘cooperation and remorse’.
In late 2022, Slater was sentenced to two year year community corrections order by a Sydney court after pleading guilty to charges including common assault and attempted stalking of a woman.
Making his debut in the 1993 Ashes tour, Slater has played 74 tests for Australia, amassing 5312 runs at an average of 42.83 with 14 hundreds. He retired from cricket in 2004, embarking on career on commentary.
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