Former AFL star Ben Cousins left court with a smug smirk on his face following a morning spent in handcuffs and in police custody before he finally fronted court . Cousins smiled as he left Fremantle Magistrates Court , despite the magistrate labelling him ' a risk to the public ' and warning him that he now faces a jail term for the 'serious ' offences he has committed . 'It does n't matter if you 're Mother Theresa or Jack the Ripper , ' Magistrate Steven Malley told Cousins in court on Thursday , according to ABC News . 'You commit those offences and the legislation says you have to go to jail . ' I accept you have issues but I can not allow the public to be put at risk . ' Scroll down for video . Former AFL star Ben Cousins is handcuffed as he arrives at court on Thursday , 24 hours after failing to face a magistrate over driving charges . With a smirk on his face Ben Cousins , a former AFL player , leaves Perth 's Fremantle Court on Thursday . Cousins handed himself in to police after failing to make a court appearance over traffic charges . Cousins was supposed to appear in court to face reckless driving charges on Wednesday morning but he failed to show up . His lawyer Adain Craus represented him during the session and claimed the former West Coast Eagles captain had conflicting medical appointments . The magistrate had ordered Cousins to produce written evidence of the conflicting appointments before 4pm WST or an arrest warrant would be issued . The arrest warrant was issued and on Thursday morning the former AFL star , Perth-based Cousins surrendered himself at Fremantle Police Station . There are reports he is likely to face court later on Thursday . The 2005 Brownlow medallist was arrested on March 11 after allegedly leading police on a low speed chase from Bicton to Mosman Park . When Cousins finally appeared in court , Magistrate Malley told Cousins his decision not to front up was the wrong one , ascertaining Cousins had followed the 'unwise ' advice of his lawyer , Mr Craus . 'When you 're on bail you 're under an obligation to appear , unless you 're strapped to a bed on a drip , ' Magistrate Malley said in court . Magistrate Malley pointed out that there was no legitimate conflict of appointment as court had been scheduled for a 10am start , whilst Cousins ' appointment was not until midday . The court session would only have lasted a matter of minutes , leading the Magistrate to assume Cousins had been advised not to appear in court by Mr Craus . Cousins had been on bail and was supposed to appear in Fremantle Magistrates Court on Wednesday morning but he failed to show up . His lawyer claimed the former West Coast Eagles captain had conflicting medical appointments . Cousins , 36 , who has a history of substance abuse , has made headlines several times in the past fortnight after a string of alleged incidents . He was arrested on March 11 after police saw him driving erratically in Bicton and was eventually caught several suburbs away in Mosman Park . He was charged with reckless driving , failing to stop and refusing a breath test . Cousins has twice been hospitalised for mental health assessments following that incvident - the first time after he breached security at an SAS base in Swanbourne . The second time followed seemingly bizarre behaviour in Canning Vale , including climbing on the roof of a house . The former West Coast Eagles captain has not been charged over those incidents . Cousins retired from the AFL in 2010 . He was charged with reckless driving , failing to stop and refusing a breath test . The 2005 Brownlow medallist was arrested on March 11 after allegedly leading police on a low speed chase from Bicton to Mosman Park . Cousins played 270-games with West Coast and Richmond during his career in the Australian Football League . Ben Cousins and former partner Maylea Tinecheff pictured on a New Idea magazine cover in 2011 . Footage emerged this week showing Cousins running through the streets away from police . Cousins was spotted climbing onto the roof of a two-storey home in Perth on Monday . Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article .
Ben Cousins , 36 , has handed himself in at Fremantle Police Station . Arrest warrant was issued a day earlier after he failed to show up in court . Cousins was on bail for an alleged low speed police chase on March 11 . Charged with reckless driving , failing to stop and refusing a breath test . Cousins has been involved in a string of bizarre incidents in the weeks since which have seen him hospitalised for mental health checks .