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 doesn'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 cannot 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 .