Nick Stevens: Ex-AFL player jailed for defrauding families through his pool business

A former AFL star has been jailed for defrauding multiple families who paid him to install pools, leaving some with giant holes in their backyard.

Ex-Carlton and Port Adelaide footballer Nick Stevens, 46, was convicted by a jury on 12 charges of obtaining a financial advantage by deception and one of using a false document.

He was acquitted of one charge.

Stevens stole about $158,000 from six families in regional areas through his pool business in 2017.

While he installed six legally compliant pools under the supervision of a registered builder, he then went out on his own without the required licence, registration, permits or insurance.

He took money from the families, but left some with non-compliant pools and for others failed to install a pool at all, leaving them with unfilled holes in their yards.

Stevens was on Monday sentenced in the Victorian County Court to nine months in prison followed by a two-year community corrections order.

“At the time you were paid money by the customers, you knew your representations that you had appropriate permits were false or probably false,” Judge Fiona Todd said.

“What you did had a corrosive effect on the goodwill and trust that does so much good in a community.”

Many victims were retirees or close to retirement with little “fat” in their budget and were trying to install pools for their children or grandchildren in the regional town of Mildura, the court was told.

Stevens, who played 231 games in the AFL until retiring in 2009 due to injury, continues to maintain his innocence.

He pleaded not guilty to the 13 charges and took the matter to trial.

Three of his trials were discharged before a fourth jury reached its verdict in March.