Former AFL player Nick Stevens convicted of fraud in pool installation scheme
Consensus Summary
Former AFL player Nick Stevens was convicted in Victoria’s County Court for defrauding six families in Mildura out of a combined $170,000–$171,000 by promising to install swimming pools he never legally completed. Stevens, who played 231 AFL matches for Carlton and Port Adelaide, was found guilty on 12 counts of obtaining financial advantage through deception and one charge of using a false document, though he was acquitted on one charge related to the first victim’s initial payment. Prosecutors alleged Stevens never intended to install legally compliant pools, despite his training and prior work with a registered builder, Brian McDonnell, who oversaw six compliant installations. Stevens’ defence argued he genuinely believed permits would be approved and faced financial hardship by late 2017, claiming he attempted to fulfill his contracts. Victims reported receiving incomplete pools, illegal installations, or no pools at all, with some receiving partial or full refunds. Stevens was remanded in custody until his May 21 plea hearing, with prosecutors expecting a jail term. The case involved delays and three aborted trials, highlighting inconsistencies in Stevens’ claims about permit arrangements and his relationship with McDonnell. While both sources agree on the core fraud allegations, discrepancies exist in the specifics of Stevens’ defence arguments and the exact nature of his relationship with McDonnell.
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Key details reported by multiple sources:
- Nick Stevens was found guilty on 12 counts of obtaining a financial advantage by deception and 1 charge of using a false document in Victoria’s County Court (ABC, NEWSCOMAU).
- Stevens was charged in 2019 for allegedly defrauding six families in Mildura, Victoria, totaling $170,000–$171,000 (ABC, NEWSCOMAU).
- The six families were left with either no pools, incomplete pools, or illegal pools due to lack of permits (ABC, NEWSCOMAU).
- Stevens pleaded not guilty to all 13 fraud-related charges (ABC, NEWSCOMAU).
- Stevens was remanded in custody until his plea hearing on May 21, 2024 (ABC, NEWSCOMAU).
- Nick Stevens played 231 AFL matches between 1998 and 2009 for Carlton and Port Adelaide (ABC, NEWSCOMAU).
- Stevens was a distributor for Leisure Pools and ran a landscaping business in Mildura (ABC, NEWSCOMAU).
- Mildura Rural City Council issued stop-work orders due to lack of permits for Stevens’ pool installations (ABC, NEWSCOMAU).
- Stevens was found not guilty on one charge of obtaining a financial advantage by deception relating to the first victim’s part-payment (ABC, NEWSCOMAU).
- Prosecutor Toni Stokes alleged Stevens never intended to install legally compliant pools (ABC, NEWSCOMAU).
- Stevens’ defence argued he intended to install compliant pools and faced financial difficulties by late 2017 (ABC, NEWSCOMAU).
- Stevens was trained by registered builder Brian McDonnell and installed six legally compliant pools under his supervision (ABC, NEWSCOMAU).
- Stevens’ false document charge involved a doctored screenshot allegedly sent to a shipping company (NEWSCOMAU).
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- Former Carlton vice-captain Nick Stevens was specifically mentioned as having played 231 AFL matches between 1998 and 2009 and later coached SANFL club Glenelg (not mentioned in NEWSCOMAU).
- AAP: David Crosling and AAP: Tracey Nearmy are credited for specific reporting in ABC’s article.
- Ben Knight, a Mildura victim, testified he paid Stevens over $30,000 for a pool he never received (ABC).
- Judge Fiona Todd’s exact words were quoted: ‘unconvinced Stevens’ bail should be extended’ (ABC).
- ABC reported that Stevens’ defence barrister Jim Stavris argued to extend bail, but Judge Fiona Todd knocked it back (ABC).
- ABC included the specific quote from Mildura Rural City Council’s building surveyor Mark Yanstes about permits not being retrospectively allowed (ABC).
- NEWSCOMAU reported that one client received a full refund and another received a partial refund, while four were left out of pocket (not explicitly detailed in ABC).
- NEWSCOMAU included a quote from defence barrister Jim Stavris: ‘There’s just no evidence that at the time Mr Stevens entered into the arrangement that he did not intend to install a legally compliant pool’ (NEWSCOMAU).
- NEWSCOMAU reported that Brian McDonnell described Stevens’ ‘licence-lending’ claim as ‘100 percent incorrect’ (NEWSCOMAU).
- NEWSCOMAU included the specific detail that Stevens paid $10,000 to Brian McDonnell for training and $1,500 per pool for permits (NEWSCOMAU).
- NEWSCOMAU mentioned that Stevens’ ex-partner may have sent the doctored screenshot, not Stevens himself (NEWSCOMAU).
- NEWSCOMAU reported that the case was plagued by delays, including three aborted trials (NEWSCOMAU).
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- ABC states Stevens was found guilty on 12 counts of obtaining a financial advantage by deception and 1 charge of using a false document, while NEWSCOMAU initially reports he was charged with 13 counts of obtaining a financial advantage by deception and 1 charge of using a false document (ABC and NEWSCOMAU).
- ABC reports Stevens was found not guilty on one charge relating to the first victim’s part-payment, but NEWSCOMAU does not explicitly mention this acquittal in its summary of charges.
- ABC reports Stevens’ defence argued he tried to ‘fix’ the pools for victims, while NEWSCOMAU reports Stevens’ defence argued he believed permits were coming and he was operating under a continuing arrangement with Brian McDonnell.
- NEWSCOMAU reports Brian McDonnell explicitly stated the relationship with Stevens was terminated after six pools, while Stevens’ defence argued the relationship was ongoing (NEWSCOMAU).
- ABC reports Stevens was a former Carlton vice-captain, but NEWSCOMAU does not mention this specific role.
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