Former AFL player Craig James Devonport defrauded, stole $32k from Gold Coast sports club

A former AFL player has been ordered to pay back the money he took from a Gold Coast club where he held a management position at the time. HOW IT HAPPENED

A former AFL player has been ordered to pay back $32,000 he defrauded and stole from a Gold Coast sports club.

Craig James Devonport, 52, will not spend any time behind bars for three crimes of dishonesty which took place in 2016 and 2017.

Devonport held a management position at the Broadbeach Cats AFL club during the time the offending occurred.

The Southport District Court heard Devonport used his position as cosignatory on a cheque account to cash six cheques for his own benefit to the sum of $20,700.

He also used the club’s UBET facility to withdraw cash on six occasions totalling $10,500 and asked a club employee to bring him $800 from the register, which he stole.

Devonport pleaded guilty to two counts of fraud and one count of stealing.

“Your offending is serious – it involved a substantial amount of money and it involved dishonestly abusing a position of trust,” Judge Michael Rackemann said.

“I accept from the material before me that you are remorseful for what you have done and that you are ashamed of your conduct and that you wish to make up for it.”

The court was told Devonport had difficulty adjusting to life after retirement from his AFL career.

He is no longer employed and suffers from chronic major depressive disorder.

The 52-year-old played 95 games at St Kilda and Carlton between 1989 and 1996.

Judge Rackemann sentenced Devonport to a fully suspended term of imprisonment of four years, nine months.

He was ordered to pay $32,000 restitution to the club.

Devonport had already offered to pay the money back before the order was made.

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Originally published as Former AFL player Craig James Devonport defrauded, stole $32k from Gold Coast sports club