Former AFL player Nick Stevens convicted of fraud in pool installation scheme
Consensus Summary
A jury in Victoria’s County Court found former AFL player Nick Stevens guilty of 13 fraud charges after he defrauded six families in Mildura out of $171,000 for pool installations that were never legally completed. Stevens, who played for Port Adelaide and Carlton, was convicted of 12 counts of obtaining financial advantage by deception and one charge of using a false document, though he was acquitted on one count. Prosecutors alleged he never intended to install compliant pools, despite prior experience with legal installations, and left projects unfinished after facing financial troubles in late 2017. Judge Fiona Todd denied his bail extension request, remanding him into custody until sentencing in May. Victims reported excuses like weather delays and legal disputes, while Stevens’ defence argued he initially intended to complete the work. Both articles confirm the case involved multiple delays and aborted trials, with Mildura Council issuing stop-work orders due to missing permits.
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
Key details reported by multiple sources:
- Nick Stevens, 46, was found guilty of 12 counts of obtaining a financial advantage by deception and 1 charge of using a false document in the County Court of Victoria on Monday, April 2023
- Stevens was acquitted on 1 charge of obtaining a financial advantage by deception relating to the first victim’s part-payment in 2017
- The fraud involved six families in Mildura, Victoria, who paid Stevens a total of approximately $171,000 for pool installations that were never legally completed or delivered
- Stevens worked as a distributor for Leisure Pools and operated a landscaping business while allegedly defrauding customers between 2017 and 2018
- Judge Fiona Todd remanded Stevens into custody, rejecting his barrister Jim Stavris’ request to extend bail ahead of a pre-sentence hearing on May 21, 2024
- Mildura Council issued stop-work orders for Stevens’ pool installations due to lack of permits, with the first order issued in May 2017
- Stevens pleaded not guilty to all 14 fraud-related charges and was charged in 2019, with the case involving three aborted trials before reaching verdicts
- Prosecutor Toni Stokes alleged Stevens never intended to install legally compliant pools, despite having prior experience with compliant installations under supervision
- Stevens had financial difficulties by late 2017, with overdrawn bank accounts and outstanding debts to Leisure Pools and a transport company
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- Stevens’ barrister Jim Stavris argued prosecutors would likely secure a ‘reasonable’ jail term, prompting Judge Fiona Todd to remand him into custody
- The false document charge related to a doctored screenshot Stevens allegedly sent to a shipping company, falsely showing he had transferred funds for a pool delivery—he denied sending it but admitted the screenshot appeared false
- Stevens claimed he believed permits would be issued after final approvals and had clients sign forms to apply for permits, which he sent to registered builder Brian McDonnell’s company Bricol
- Prosecutor Toni Stokes accused Stevens of being a ‘habitual liar’ and highlighted a ‘clear conflict’ between his testimony and evidence from victims and McDonnell
- The case centered on pools installed in Mildura in 2017 while Stevens was a Leisure Pools distributor, with one family receiving a full refund and another a partial refund
- ABC included a quote from victim Ben Knight, who paid Stevens over $30,000 for a pool he never received, citing excuses like bad weather and legal battles with Leisure Pools
- The ABC article emphasized that Stevens’ landscaping business was active alongside his Leisure Pools dealership role during the alleged fraud
- ABC noted that pool permits could not be issued retrospectively, forcing families to either demolish incomplete pools or leave them as-is
- The ABC article highlighted that Stevens’ defence argued he tried to ‘fix’ the issues with customers rather than absconding with their money, emphasizing chronology and his initial intent
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- NEWSCOMAU states Stevens was 46 years old at the time of the verdict, while ABC reports his age as 45
- NEWSCOMAU claims Stevens’ barrister Jim Stavris argued he should remain on bail due to a ‘reasonable’ jail term likelihood, but ABC does not mention this specific reasoning for bail denial
- NEWSCOMAU describes Stevens as showing ‘little reaction’ to the verdicts, while ABC does not include any details about his demeanor during the proceedings
- NEWSCOMAU mentions Stevens’ financial difficulties included debts to Leisure Pools and a transport company for ‘several pools already delivered,’ but ABC does not specify the number of delivered pools
- ABC includes a direct quote from victim Ben Knight about paying Stevens over $30,000, while NEWSCOMAU does not reference this specific victim or amount
Source Articles
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