Cousins is now a crack junkie in downtown LA? Quick downfall

[benoc]

I don't know who I hate more: Cousins for being a drug addict retard wasting natural football talent or the media for wasting news space and my brain cells.


http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,22 ... 2,00.html

Cousins missing on streets of LA

By Robert Lusetich and Greg Denham

November 01, 2007 12:00am
Article from: The Australian

* Source says Cousins failed to check in to Malibu rehab
* LA "not a good place to do what he may be doing"
* Rehab centre won't confirm, deny rumours

COUNSELLORS at an exclusive drug treatment facility in Malibu are scouring Los Angeles in search of Ben Cousins.

Sources close to the Summit Centre in Malibu told The Australian yesterday the 29-year-old failed to check in, as scheduled, on Monday.

They say they are worried for his safety.

"No one has any idea where he is," said a person with knowledge of the situation.

"He's got everyone freaking out because LA's not a good place to be out doing what he may be doing.

"I just hope nothing bad happens to him."

The fallen West Coast Eagle, who is battling addiction to cocaine as well as methamphetamines - one of the toughest drugs to kick, according to experts - arrived in Los Angeles on Saturday morning and was picked up at the airport by two mystery blonde women in a Mercedes-Benz sports car.

Friends Cousins made from his last stay at the $3300-a-day Summit Centre, who are recovering drug addicts, have left messages on his phone offering to pick him up and pleading for him to check in to the facility.

But they say he has not been answering his phone or returning their calls.

'We don't confirm or deny'

An employee at the Summit Centre yesterday refused to discuss Cousins.

"We don't confirm or deny that anyone is here or not here," she said.

West Coast chief executive Trevor Nisbett was stunned to hear of Cousins's disappearance in LA.

"It seems to us he never had any intentions to return (to rehab). We feel betrayed," Nisbett told The Australian.

Case adjourned for rehab stint

Perth Chief Magistrate Steven Heath two weeks ago adjourned a case against Cousins for possession of drugs and for refusing to undertake a driver assessment.

While the possession charge was later dropped, Mr Heath granted Cousins a 90-day adjournment so he could return to the US for another stint of drug rehabilitation.

Mr Heath ordered the footballer to reappear on January 21.

Cousins's bail, believed to be $1000 personal bail with the same surety, was extended until that date.

Outside the court, Cousins' lawyer Shane Brennan spoke on his client's behalf.

"The matter has been remanded for 90 days with a view to Mr Cousins continuing the course of action he adopted early in the winter," he said.

Cousins spent a month at the Mediterranean-style treatment centre, nestled in the Santa Monica mountains with views of the Pacific Ocean, in April.

Patients are not usually allowed to leave the grounds until well into their rehabilitation, but are pampered while there.

The 2005 Brownlow Medallist and six-time All Australian has said he wants to continue playing football, but that dream would surely be in tatters if he fails to complete drug rehabilitation.

Cousins footing $90,000 rehab bill

He was due to spend at least a month at the Summit, although West Coast is not paying the bill, as the club did in April.

Cousins was believed to be footing the bill himself for this stay, an estimated $90,000.

Cousins was sacked by the Eagles for numerous breaches of the club's conduct policy, the final straw coming with the possession and driver assessment charges.

Embarrassingly for the Perth police, it was revealed that the drugs charges were laid because Cousins was found with a banned sedative, diazepam.

However, that drug is only illegal in injectable form.

Cousins's on-field brilliance has long been dimmed by his off-field behaviour; he has had numerous run-ins with the law and has been warned by police about his continued association with known criminals.

Additional reporting: Elizabeth Gosch