Croydon Ranges Hockey Club vice president loses appeal against hockey life ban

A former sporting club vice-president and Melbourne father-of-five who upskirted a teenage girl on a bus has been banned for life by his sport. However, he appealed the penalty.

The former vice-president was banned.

A former hockey club vice-president from Melbourne’s east has received a lifetime ban from the sport after taking an upskirt photo of a teenager on a bus.

Hockey Australia handed down the suspension to father-of-five Ellery Hulme, 33, earlier this year after he was convicted in the Ringwood Magistrates Court over the 2023 incident.

This masthead previously reported Hulme took the photo while travelling on a Belgrave line train replacement bus in June 2023.

The 18-year-old victim had been sitting with a friend with her knees and feet up on the seat when Hulme moved seats and sat directly opposite the group.

Hulme took out his phone and using social media app Snapchat proceeded to zoom in on the teenager’s crotch and up her skirt, focusing the camera on her underwear, before taking a photo.

Another travelled filmed the entire incident including taking video of Hulme taking the photo. The good samaritan then snatched Hulme’s phone out of his hand and deleted the photo.

The incident was then reported to police.

Ellery Hulme.

Hulme, who was the vice-president of the Croydon Ranges Hockey Club before being banned, appealed to the National Sports Tribunal (NST) to have his ban downgraded but failed.

Documents from the NST reveal Hulme argued sanctions “less severe and more appropriate” than a life suspension could apply to him, offering alternative sanctions which were rejected by the national sporting body.

“His proposal included a lifetime ban on holding any administrative or official positions in any hockey club, a lengthy playing ban or ineligibility to play whilst on the (Sex Offenders) Register, together with playing restrictions once eligible to play,” the documents said.

Hulme’s submissions to the tribunal said the ban would “hinder efforts to rebuild (his) life and contribute positively to society”.

“Hockey has historically been a positive outlet and source of community for me,” he submitted.

Documents reveal Hulme had already been placed on the sex offenders register in 2018 for a separate incident which saw him spend three months in prison.

The NST documents also reveal the Croydon Ranges president had provided a letter of support during Hulme’s court hearing.

Hockey Australia submitted it has “no tolerance for criminal offending of a sexual nature, particularly against children”.

NST panel member Ian White said he was “far from confident” in Hulme’s rehabilitation in denying the appeal.

“I find the decision of HA to impose a lifetime ban on EH to be totally consistent with its policies,” he said.