Geelong tradie Brent Macleod fails to appear at court, warrant issued for his arrest

An arrest warrant has been issued for a local footy identity and tradie after he failed to turn up in court for the second time.

Geelong tradie Brent Macleod failed to appear at a Geelong court on Tuesday.

An arrest warrant has been issued for a local footy identity and tradie after he failed to turn up in court for the second time.

Brent Macleod, 31, did not appear for his scheduled hearing at the Geelong Magistrates Court on Tuesday.

According to the court’s electronic filing system, the matter was listed as a plea hearing.

Mr Macleod, from Armstrong Creek, has been charged with obtaining property by deception.

This is not the first time Mr Macleod has failed to show up to court.

On April 4 this year, a warrant was issued for his arrest after a no show.

Mr Macleod was a well-known local footy identity and has played for clubs in the Geelong Football League and the Geelong District Football League.

Magistrate Michelle Hodgson adjourned the matter until a later date and, again, issued a warrant for his arrest.

It comes after accusations were raised in January that the landscaper allegedly took a $16,700 deposit for a job on the Mornington Peninsula in 2022 that he did not complete.

Bentleigh man Steve Reilly said he offered to help a friend’s parents – Ros and Ed Washington – with the erection of a fence at their Blairgowrie property.

He said he submitted a request to have the fence built on their behalf via the Service Seeking website in December 2022.

There was a sense of urgency to the project due to Mrs Washington’s health.

As of January 2024, Mr Reilly alleged the only work completed at the property by Mr Macleod was the installation of fence poles, worth about $3000.

He has asked Mr Macleod to payback $11,000, but claimed the offer was refused.

“It was all we wanted to get her for Christmas,” Mr Reilly said.

When approached for comment at the time, Mr Macleod said “I’ve got nothing to say.”

In October 2022, two Geelong residents also came forward claiming the man owed them more than $9000.

In 2020, the Geelong Advertiser reported Mr Macleod left homeowners and contractors$60,000 out of pocket after declaring bankruptcy.

Originally published as Geelong tradie Brent Macleod fails to appear at court, warrant issued for his arrest