Dees captain Max Gawn may be called to testify in Ricky Nixon fraud case

Melbourne captain Max Gawn may be called to take the stand in a high-profile case against Ricky Nixon, who faces deception and forgery charges over the alleged sale of fake 2021 Demons premiership memorabilia.

Melbourne Demons captain Max Gawn could be called to take the stand in a high-profile fraud case against disgraced former player agent Ricky Nixon.

Nixon, 61, faced the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday on more than a dozen charges of deception and forgery over the alleged sale of almost $6000 worth of fraudulent 2021 AFL Demons premiership memorabilia.

The court heard the case required a third adjournment due to outstanding statements, including by Mr Gawn.

The prosecution told the court a statement had been made by the AFL captain, but a supplementary statement requested by the defence was yet to be filed.

The court heard it was possible Mr Gawn could be called to give evidence at a future court hearing.

The court heard it was possible Max Gawn could be called to give evidence at a future court hearing. Picture: Getty Images

“Mr Gawn has provided a statement in accordance with the witness list. The prosecution is not intending to rely on the (second) statement sought,” the prosecutor said.

Witness statements were also pending from Paul Smart and SE Products CEO Shane Corben.

SE Products, based in Oakleigh, is an official licensee of authentic memorabilia and collectables for the AFL, NRL and cricket.

Mr Corben was described in court as a reluctant witness for failing to cooperate with the police informant.

“There needs to be a point where it’s accepted Mr Corben is being uncooperative,” said magistrate Susan Wakeling.

Mr Smart’s involvement in the criminal proceeding is unknown.

Nixon is accused of selling fake commemorative footballs to diehard Demons fans for $575 plus $20 postage after the team’s historic finals victory.

Buyers were led to believe the cost would be donated to a children’s charity.

At the time Nixon defended himself, saying he was duped by a fake AFL licensee who sold him the signed footballs.

Ricky Nixon is accused of selling fake commemorative footballs to diehard Demons fans for $575 plus $20 postage after the team’s historic finals victory. Picture: Diego Fedele

In court, Nixon’s phone blared the ringtone ‘Born to be wild” in breach of the court’s rules that devices must be silenced.

Last week, Nixon was humiliated in the same court by a magistrate who tore down his claims of self-defence over a nasty assault involving a postal worker.

Mr Nixon told the court he was trying to defend himself from the postie whom he attacked and threw a parcel at after a nasty exchange at the door of his Port Melbourne home in March 2022.

Following a three-day contested hearing, magistrate Vincenzo Caltabiano ruled Nixon a liar, saying his account of the clash with postman Behroz Kahaliqi was “not credible or reliable” and that he instigated the violence.

He will be sentenced for that matter on June 27.

It’s unlikely he will face jail time, with the prosecutor telling the court a community corrections order was in range.

His other charges — 10 counts of deception and nine counts of making a false document related to the AFL fraud scandal — will return to court on July 31.