Australian court orders Michael Slater to get himself assessed at mental health unit

SYDNEY: Former Australian cricketer Michael Slater has been charged with breaching a restraining order on Wednesday, two months after an alleged domestic violence incident.

New South Wales state police said that Slater was arrested for a second time this morning after reports he allegedly breached the restraining order, known as an Apprehended Violence Order (AVO).

The 51-year-old later appeared in court in Sydney´s northern beaches and was granted bail on the condition that he checks into a mental-health unit "as soon as a bed is available", court documents show.

Slater is facing charges of contravening the restrictions set down in an AVO, using a carriage service "to menace/harass/offend" and breaching bail, police said.

It follows similar carriage service charges -- which can relate to harassment via phone, email or social media and stalking -- first laid after reports of a domestic violence incident on October 12.

Under his bail conditions, Slater was barred from drinking alcohol, taking non-prescribed drugs and possessing or using electronic devices including a mobile phone.

Opening batsman Slater played for Australia for close to a decade, hitting 5,312 Test runs before his 2004 retirement.

Slater´s case is scheduled to return to court on December 23.