A former Super League prop has appeared in Liverpool Crown Court and has admitted two counts of ‘stalking involving fear of violence’.
Ex-Warrington Wolves and Wigan Warriors man, Mike Cooper, who retired from the game in September 2024, wrote abusive notes and scrawled words onto the panels of a woman’s car.
The incidents took place between November and December 2024, with Cooper stalking the woman, sticking notes to her car and damaging her tyres.
In addition, the former England international pleaded not guilty to the charges labelled ‘stalking involving distress’.
The defending lawyer, Donal McGuire, asked for the court to be adjourned so that a pre-sentence report could be made by the Probation Service.
He also asked for a medical report to be done, given Cooper’s track record of neurological problems.
Cooper was forced to retire from rugby due to neurological advice from doctors after multiple concussions. McGuire told the court that the prop was “the first player of either code [league or union] to retire on the basis of that neurological damage.”
The court was subsequently adjourned in order to gather those reports that would give further insight into Cooper’s mental state at the time.
The 28-year-old will be sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court on August 21. He was granted conditional bail until that time.
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