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Former AFL player and coach Dean Laidley has had his stay in rehab extended by a Melbourne court. The 53-year-old premiership player was released on bail last month after being charged with stalking and drug charges. A magistrate ordered he spend 28 days in a residential rehabilitation facility in Geelong before moving to transitional housing, but his lawyer on Tuesday asked that to be extended. Rob Stary said Laidley needed another week to 10 days in the rehab centre’s first stage before a stint of a couple of months at a transitional facility in Melbourne. Laidley is accused of menacing and stalking a woman over a financial dispute. It’s alleged he took photos of an apartment he owned, which the woman was living in, and that he asked the body corporate for CCTV footage. Police also allege they found 0.43g of crystals, believed to be methamphetamine, in an adhesive bra Laidley was wearing when he was arrested. Mr Stary told magistrate Kieran Gilligan he expected Laidley would plead guilty to some charges. “There’s just one discussion that we still need to have – we’re expecting all will be resolved,” he said. His case has been adjourned until December 14. The AFL Players Association is funding Laidley’s in-house care at the treatment facility, which offers 24-hour supervision, drug testing and treatment. Former coaches Mark Williams, Guy McKenna and Denis Pagan wrote references for Laidley, as did his former North Melbourne teammates Brent Harvey and Wayne Schwass and ex-club president James Brayshaw. “This man here now is a very different person to those who knew him and knew him well,” his barrister Phil Dunn said last month. He said Laidley’s mental health had been low for some time since leaving his football bubble. Australian Associated Press
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Former AFL player and coach Dean Laidley has had his stay in rehab extended by a Melbourne court.
The 53-year-old premiership player was released on bail last month after being charged with stalking and drug charges.
A magistrate ordered he spend 28 days in a residential rehabilitation facility in Geelong before moving to transitional housing, but his lawyer on Tuesday asked that to be extended.
Rob Stary said Laidley needed another week to 10 days in the rehab centre’s first stage before a stint of a couple of months at a transitional facility in Melbourne.
Laidley is accused of menacing and stalking a woman over a financial dispute.
It’s alleged he took photos of an apartment he owned, which the woman was living in, and that he asked the body corporate for CCTV footage.
Police also allege they found 0.43g of crystals, believed to be methamphetamine, in an adhesive bra Laidley was wearing when he was arrested.
Mr Stary told magistrate Kieran Gilligan he expected Laidley would plead guilty to some charges.
“There’s just one discussion that we still need to have – we’re expecting all will be resolved,” he said.
His case has been adjourned until December 14.
The AFL Players Association is funding Laidley’s in-house care at the treatment facility, which offers 24-hour supervision, drug testing and treatment.
Former coaches Mark Williams, Guy McKenna and Denis Pagan wrote references for Laidley, as did his former North Melbourne teammates Brent Harvey and Wayne Schwass and ex-club president James Brayshaw.
“This man here now is a very different person to those who knew him and knew him well,” his barrister Phil Dunn said last month.
He said Laidley’s mental health had been low for some time since leaving his football bubble.
Australian Associated Press