The full extent of the devastation inflicted by former AFL star Nick Stevens has been laid bare in court, with victims recounting how his fraudulent pool business destroyed their lives. Among those affected is a couple who claim their marriage disintegrated after Stevens left a gaping hole in their backyard where a swimming pool was supposed to be.
The 46-year-old appeared at Melbourne's County Court for a pre-sentence hearing, where multiple victims detailed their harrowing experiences with the fraudster. In late March, a jury convicted him on 12 counts of obtaining a financial advantage by deception and one count of using a false document. Stevens had swindled approximately $175,000 from six regional families through his pool business in 2017.
While Stevens did install six legally compliant pools under the supervision of a registered builder, his subsequent independent ventures were conducted without the required licence, registration, permits, or insurance. The former Carlton and Port Adelaide footballer took money from families but left some with non-compliant pools or failed to install any pool at all, leaving enormous holes behind.
One victim, Ben Knight, described the ordeal as an 'exhausting and relentless nightmare that I was reminded of every day, seeing the hole in my yard,' in a statement read by prosecutor Toni Stokes. 'The pressure led to fighting between me and my wife over financial loss ... a rollercoaster that eventually led to the breakdown in our marriage.'
Another victim, Rod Charman, said Stevens' constant lies, empty promises, and blame-shifting drained him emotionally and financially. 'Each time I was told an untruth I got increasingly anxious over the pool being supplied, to be duped by Mr Stevens and his lies,' he said. 'The build-up of these lies infuriated me. The impact on our children and grandchildren of not having a pool for Christmas, as we had been promised, was profound and affected me deeply.'
Stevens, who made 231 AFL appearances before retiring due to injury in 2009, watched the proceedings via videolink from Hopkins Prison in Ararat. His barrister, Jim Stavris, urged the judge to spare Stevens a longer prison term, noting that he had already spent 52 days behind bars since his conviction in March. He also argued that Stevens' profile as a former footballer made him a vulnerable prisoner who required protection, and requested a community work order instead.
'He's going to do his time a bit harder than most,' Mr Stavris said. 'The benefit to community is for him to get out and keep working ... under a strict community corrections order, so he can look at ways that he can better himself.'
Judge Fiona Todd ordered Stevens to be assessed for a community corrections order but noted that a term of imprisonment was likely. Ms Stokes countered that Stevens had shown no remorse and continued to maintain his innocence, and given the impact on victims, a prison sentence with a non-parole period was warranted. Stevens was remanded in custody and will return to court for sentencing on June 15.
