Footy fraudster Lindsay Bassani withdraws bid to have home detention GPS tracking removed
A FOOTBALLER serving a $9000 fraud sentence on home detention has withdrawn his bid to remove his tracking bracelet which he had claimed created “a stigma” on the footy field.
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A FOOTBALLER who is serving his $9000 fraud sentence on home detention has withdrawn his bid to remove his tracking bracelet which he had claimed created “a stigma” on the footy field.
Lindsay Bassani last week challenged the state’s new home detention sentencing program in the Adelaide Magistrates Court, saying he “perceived a stigma” while wearing the electronic monitoring device which also hindered his ability to support his family by playing sport.
The 38-year-old former head of the SA Aboriginal Sports Training Academy and a former Echunga football coach this week formally withdrew that application.
Bassani is among the first wave of offenders to be able to serve their jail terms on home detention, after pleading guilty to three counts of abuse of public office to secure a benefit and two counts of dishonestly dealing with documents.
Because home detainees can continue to work, and the court heard Bassani and his wife purchased a 24-hour gymnasium at Port Adelaide, he is legally allowed to leave his house at any time.
Bassani was also granted permission to consume alcohol while on home detention.
This week, Bassani left his three-bedroom Semaphore Park home in different luxury cars – a black two-door Audi A5 and white four-door Mercedes – while his wife was also spotted driving the Mercedes and a black Holden Commodore station wagon.
He drove to his upper level Port Mall gym, Body Design 24 Seven, arriving about 10am on Tuesday and yesterday, each time dressed in black track pants which hide his ankle bracelet and a gym-branded singlet.
On Tuesday he returned to his car carrying a gas bottle, while yesterday he stopped for a coffee and takeaway food at Cafe Coco before heading to work.
Bassani appeared relaxed as he chatted on his mobile phone for several minutes before sauntering upstairs to his gym just after 10am.
Inside it was business as usual as Bassani took a female client for a personal training session. He coached his client through a range of different exercises and at the end of the session said he would put together a workout plan.
Body Design 24 Seven – not your average gym – is decked out with state-of-the-art equipment. It has an on-site cafe and, according to its website, features ‘‘six private ensuites including toilet, shower and even hair dryers and straighteners for the ladies’’.
Bassani was last month jailed for 14 months with a six-month non-parole period and permitted to serve that sentence on home detention.
He had admitted that, between 2012 and 2014, he abused public office and committed fraud by unlawfully buying goods including a refrigerator, TV and solar panels worth $9347.