Tessa Lee, Sports journalist reporting on global leagues since 2021.
Former AFL player Nick Stevens has been jailed after being convicted of defrauding multiple families through his pool installation business. Stevens, 46, was sentenced in the Victorian County Court on Monday after a jury found him guilty of obtaining a financial advantage by deception. The case involved families in regional Victoria who paid for swimming pools that were either never completed or failed to meet legal requirements, resulting in financial losses and significant disruption.
The former Carlton and Port Adelaide midfielder was convicted on 12 charges of obtaining a financial advantage by deception and one charge of using a false document. He was acquitted on one additional charge.
Judge Fiona Todd sentenced Stevens to nine months in prison, followed by a two year community corrections order.
Fraud Scheme Targeted Regional Families
The court heard that Stevens obtained approximately $158,000 from six families through his pool business during 2017.
Initially, Stevens had installed swimming pools under the supervision of a registered builder, with projects meeting the required legal standards. However, prosecutors told the court that he later operated independently despite lacking the necessary licences, registrations, permits, and insurance required to undertake the work.
Families paid significant deposits and project fees believing the work would be completed in accordance with Victorian building regulations.
Instead, some customers were left with pools that did not comply with legal requirements. Others never received a pool at all, despite having paid substantial amounts of money.
In several cases, homeowners were left with large excavated holes in their backyards after work failed to progress.
Court Hears Impact on Victims
During sentencing, the court was told many of the victims were retirees or people approaching retirement.
Several families had carefully saved money to install pools for children and grandchildren. The projects were intended to improve family homes and provide recreational opportunities, particularly in the regional city of Mildura where summer temperatures can be extreme.
Judge Todd noted that many victims had limited financial flexibility and were unable to easily absorb the losses caused by Stevens' actions.
The court heard that beyond the financial impact, the offences damaged trust within the local community.
“What you did had a corrosive effect on the goodwill and trust that does so much good in a community,” Judge Todd said during sentencing.
She also found that Stevens had knowingly made false representations regarding permits and approvals when accepting payments from customers.
“At the time you were paid money by the customers, you knew your representations that you had appropriate permits were false or probably false,” the judge said.
AFL Career Before Business Venture
Stevens was a well known figure in Australian football before entering the pool construction industry.
He played 231 AFL games across a distinguished career with Port Adelaide and Carlton. Known for his skill as a midfielder, Stevens was among the competition’s prominent players during the early and mid 2000s.
His AFL career came to an end in 2009 after injury forced his retirement from professional football.
Following his playing days, Stevens moved into business ventures, including the swimming pool industry that ultimately led to the criminal proceedings.
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Multiple Trials Before Conviction
The legal process leading to Stevens’ conviction was lengthy.
He pleaded not guilty to all 13 charges and consistently maintained his innocence throughout the proceedings.
The matter went through multiple court hearings, with three previous trials being discharged before a fourth jury ultimately delivered verdicts in March.
That jury convicted Stevens on 13 offences, including 12 counts of obtaining a financial advantage by deception and one count of using a false document.
The convictions paved the way for Monday’s sentencing hearing in the Victorian County Court.
Despite the outcome, Stevens continues to deny wrongdoing.
Sentence Includes Prison and Community Supervision
The nine month prison sentence reflects the seriousness of the offending, particularly given the financial losses suffered by victims and the breach of trust involved.
In addition to imprisonment, Stevens will be subject to a two year community corrections order upon release. Community corrections orders are designed to provide supervision and rehabilitation while also imposing ongoing obligations on offenders.
The case serves as a reminder of the importance of verifying licences, permits, and registrations when engaging contractors for major home improvement projects.
Victorian authorities regularly encourage consumers to check builder credentials and ensure appropriate approvals are in place before making significant payments for construction work.
The conviction also marks the latest chapter in a case that attracted public attention due to Stevens’ profile as a former AFL player and the substantial impact the offending had on families in regional Victoria.