A Custodial Sentence Handed Down
Former Carlton and Port Adelaide AFL player Nick Stevens has been sentenced to nine months in prison following a conviction for defrauding multiple families. The sentence, handed down in the Victorian County Court on June 14, 2026, marks the conclusion of a protracted legal battle involving a failed swimming pool business.
Stevens, 46, was found guilty by a jury on 12 charges of obtaining a financial advantage by deception and one charge of using a false document. He was acquitted of one additional charge. Following his nine-month custodial term, Stevens will serve a two-year community corrections order.
The Nature of the Fraud
The court heard that Stevens, who played 231 AFL games before retiring in 2009, operated a pool installation business in 2017. While he had previously worked under the supervision of a licensed builder, Stevens proceeded to operate independently without the necessary permits, insurance, or professional registration.
Judge Fiona Todd, in her sentencing remarks, emphasized the impact of the deception on the victims, many of whom were retirees or families in the regional town of Mildura. “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 Todd stated. “What you did had a corrosive effect on the goodwill and trust that does so much good in a community.”
The financial damage totaled approximately $158,000. In several instances, Stevens failed to install pools entirely, while other families were left with non-compliant structures—in some cases, literal holes in their backyards. Despite the verdict, Stevens has maintained his innocence throughout the legal proceedings, which saw three previous trials discharged before a final verdict was reached in March.