A former Swifts footballer has been sidelined for a fortnight after he was caught drink-driving.
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Ben Taylor informed his new club, the NT Thunder, that he returned a blood alcohol reading of .063 after he was stopped for a random breath test in Darwin on July 7.
The Thunder imposed a two-match suspension - one of which took place at the weekend.
The North East Australian Football League club said Taylor will also complete AFL education sessions. He is due to appear at Darwin Local Court on August 19 in relation to the incident.
Taylor said he "deeply regrets" his actions.
"Driving after drinking was a terrible mistake - one that could've been a lot worse - so I am grateful for being given the opportunity to learn the lessons without it having a more serious impact than what it did," he said.
"I feel like I have let down my teammates, my family and the NT Thunder club and supporters, so I apologise and commit to not making the same mistake again."
Taylor moved to Darwin from Stawell last year. He first signed on with St Mary's, before earning a place to play in a state-level competition with the Thunder.
"Ben's failure to think before acting could have led to serious consequences and we will continue to educate him and the rest of the playing group on road safety awareness," NT Thunder manager Andrew Hodges said.
"He is embarrassed and feels like he has let his family, club and community down and is determined to not let himself of any of his NT Thunder teammates be in this position again.
"Everyone associated with the club is aware of the risks associated with drink-driving and take this matter very seriously."
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