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Mohamed Haouas faces February court appearance after weekend arrest
By Liam Heagney
Out-of-favour France prop Mohamed Haouas will reportedly come before the courts in Montpellier next February following his weekend arrest for drink driving.
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The front rower, whose catalogue of previous non-sporting transgressions include domestic violence, was detained on Saturday night/Sunday morning and was released from police custody late on Monday morning. He will now appear in court on February 4.
It was just last week when the controversial 30-year-old Montpellier forward, who has 16 Test caps for France, confirmed a two-year contract extension with the Top 14 club he rejoined after a season rebuilding his career in Biarritz following his domestic violence conviction.
He was a starter last Friday night for Montpellier in their EPCR Challenge Cup win over Dragons in Wales, his first appearance in the No3 shirt following six runs off the Top 14 bench.
A report on rugbyrama.fr read: “New problems for Mohamed Haouas. The French international from Montpellier – already convicted by the courts for domestic violence and participation in a brawl in a nightclub – was caught drunk on the night of Saturday, December 7, to Sunday 8 while driving his vehicle in the La Paillade district of Montpellier.
“As reported by Le Metropolitain, the MHR player was checked by a municipal police patrol. Clearly under the influence of alcohol, he was then taken to the central police station before being put in a sobering-up cell, then placed in police custody.
“His blood alcohol level was tested at well above one gram per litre of blood. According to our information, the tighthead with 16 caps for the French team was released from police custody late Monday morning.
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“According to France 3 Occitanie, which cites a police source, it was passers-by who alerted the police after seeing Haouas, unconscious at the wheel of his vehicle parked in a double line… During his arrest, the police reportedly discovered a bottle of vodka on the passenger seat of Haouas’ car.
“He will have to explain himself to the courts on February 4 at 1:30pm ‘as part of a procedure of appearance on prior admission of guilt’, as the prosecution indicated to AFP.”