New twist in Brownlow betting controversy

A new twist has emerged in the legal investigation of former umpire Michael Pell who was accused of sharing inside information about the Brownlow Medal.

A legal loophole may allow a former umpire accused of sharing inside information about the Brownlow Medal to avoid criminal charges because of the wording of Victorian law.

Michael Pell remains under investigation after spot bets were placed on the “best on ground” votes in AFL games he umpired.

On Tuesday, it will be 12 months since Victoria Police arrested and questioned him over bets placed in at least 10 of the 16 games he officiated in 2022.

Police seized his phone last year but sources claim there were no text or WhatsApp messages that revealed how umpires voted.

Victoria Police’s Sports Integrity Intelligence Unit has been leading the probe into Pell, sending messages out to his friends in recent weeks seeking information.

Michael Pell (middle) in action in round 1 of the 2022 AFL season. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos

Under section 195F of the Victorian Crimes Act 1958, police must prove that sharing inside information resulted in the corruption of the outcome of the Brownlow Medal.

In New South Wales, the law is broader, with any sharing of inside information declared to be a crime.

Section 193Q of the Crimes Act 1900 states that sharing any inside information that resulted in someone having a bet was a criminal offence with a maximum penalty of up to two years.

When asked if a person could only be charged in Victoria under section 195F if the outcome of an event had been corrupted, Victoria Police said in a statement: “The investigation by the Sporting Integrity Intelligence Unit into suspicious betting activity linked to the 2021 and 2022 Brownlow Medal award remains active.

“As the investigation remains ongoing, we will not be commenting further at this time.”

AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos

AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon said last year the outcome of the Brownlow had not been impacted by the allegations made against Pell.

“I want to stress that neither Victoria Police, nor the AFL have information to suggest that the outcome of the Brownlow Medal was impacted as the allegations relate solely to the leaking or improper communication of the 3,2,1 voting outcomes of some specific matches during the season,” Mr Dillon said in a statement on November 14 last year, when he was the AFL’s general counsel.

The AFL continued to allow betting on the best on ground for each round of the Brownlow Medal count in 2023, but capped payouts at $250.

The owner of a statistics company in New South Wales was charged with using inside information to bet on Melbourne Storm’s Craig Bellamy winning coach of the year at the Dally M medal in 2019.

Charges were dropped against Daniel Thomas Dobson over alleged courtsiding. Picture: Supplied

Joshua Dallas Wilson, former boss of StatEdge, placed a $1000 bet on Bellamy to collect $1975 after getting advanced notice he would win the coaches’ prize.

He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to an 18-month good behaviour bond in Sydney’s District Court.

Victoria Police charged a British man, Daniel Thomas Dobson, under section 195F of the Crime Act 1958 for “courtsiding” at the Australian Open in January 2014.

He was accused of sending information from Melbourne Park about the outcome of points to a betting agency before they were broadcast on television, which is on a slight delay.

The Department of Public Prosecutions dropped the charges in March 2014.

A Sports Integrity Australia report into courtsiding stated: “Those charges were later dropped after it was found there would be no reasonable prospect of conviction in the case.”