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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

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Former AFL player and coach Dean Laidley wants to be bailed to a residential rehabilitation facility and says he is looking forward to getting the help he needs. The ex-West Coast Eagles and North Melbourne player has been behind bars since May 2, when he was arrested over accusations he had been stalking a woman. Former teammates, coaches and club doctors have lined up with letters of reference for the 53-year-old, who is battling longstanding mental health issues. Laidley is accused of stalking a woman, with whom he’s in a financial dispute over a property. He phoned her 43 times on May 2, police told Melbourne Magistrates Court on Monday. It’s also alleged he contacted her body corporate asking for CCTV footage, which prosecutors argue was to stalk her. Laidley’s barrister, Phil Dunn QC, said his client was fighting allegations he had been involved in aggressive confrontations with the woman at the apartment complex and suggested CCTV footage could be used as evidence that she was not telling the truth about their interactions. He asked that Laidley be released into the care of a 24-hour residential rehabilitation clinic where he’ll receive treatment for longstanding issues including gender dysphoria and substance abuse. “He’s not a bad man. He needs help and he’s prepared to accept this help,” Mr Dunn said. Former AFL 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. Mr Dunn said Laidley had lived in a structured football bubble for 30 years and issues had crept to the surface since leaving the AFL. “This man here now is a very different person to those who knew him and knew him well,” he said. He said there were serious concerns for Laidley’s mental health. Mr Dunn also referenced the leaking of photos of Laidley in custody. Four officers have been suspended and are expected to be charged. The AFL Players Association will fund Laidley’s in-house care at the facility, which offers 24-hour supervision, drug testing and treatment. An officer said police had concerns Laidley would offend if he was released. He told the court Laidley had taken a number of photos of the property where the complainant lived, as well as asking for CCTV footage, and he had repeatedly called and sent her text messages. After he was arrested, police found 0.3g of crystals in a plastic bag inside an adhesive bra Laidley was wearing, as well as loose crystals believed to be methamphetamine, the officer said. Magistrate Kieran Gilligan is expected to make a decision on Laidley’s release later on Monday. Australian Associated Press

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Former AFL player and coach Dean Laidley wants to be bailed to a residential rehabilitation facility and says he is looking forward to getting the help he needs.

The ex-West Coast Eagles and North Melbourne player has been behind bars since May 2, when he was arrested over accusations he had been stalking a woman.

Former teammates, coaches and club doctors have lined up with letters of reference for the 53-year-old, who is battling longstanding mental health issues.

Laidley is accused of stalking a woman, with whom he’s in a financial dispute over a property.

He phoned her 43 times on May 2, police told Melbourne Magistrates Court on Monday.

It’s also alleged he contacted her body corporate asking for CCTV footage, which prosecutors argue was to stalk her.

Laidley’s barrister, Phil Dunn QC, said his client was fighting allegations he had been involved in aggressive confrontations with the woman at the apartment complex and suggested CCTV footage could be used as evidence that she was not telling the truth about their interactions.

He asked that Laidley be released into the care of a 24-hour residential rehabilitation clinic where he’ll receive treatment for longstanding issues including gender dysphoria and substance abuse.

“He’s not a bad man. He needs help and he’s prepared to accept this help,” Mr Dunn said.

Former AFL 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.

Mr Dunn said Laidley had lived in a structured football bubble for 30 years and issues had crept to the surface since leaving the AFL.

“This man here now is a very different person to those who knew him and knew him well,” he said.

He said there were serious concerns for Laidley’s mental health.

Mr Dunn also referenced the leaking of photos of Laidley in custody. Four officers have been suspended and are expected to be charged.

The AFL Players Association will fund Laidley’s in-house care at the facility, which offers 24-hour supervision, drug testing and treatment.

An officer said police had concerns Laidley would offend if he was released.

He told the court Laidley had taken a number of photos of the property where the complainant lived, as well as asking for CCTV footage, and he had repeatedly called and sent her text messages.

After he was arrested, police found 0.3g of crystals in a plastic bag inside an adhesive bra Laidley was wearing, as well as loose crystals believed to be methamphetamine, the officer said.

Magistrate Kieran Gilligan is expected to make a decision on Laidley’s release later on Monday.

Australian Associated Press

A second Victorian police officer is expected to be charged over leaked photos of former AFL player and coach Dean Laidley taken while he was in police custody.

Laidley, a former premiership-winning North Melbourne player and later coach, was arrested on stalking and other charges after an incident outside a home in St Kilda on Saturday night.

The 53-year-old faced the Melbourne magistrates’ court on Sunday and did not apply for bail. He was remanded in custody until his next court appearance on 11 May.

But police in Victoria have been scrambling to head off a potential civil lawsuit after the leak of photos of Laidley, taken while he was in custody. An internal investigation was launched over the weekend, with deputy commissioner Shane Patton describing the leak as “appalling” and “unacceptable”.

The two photos include one from Laidley’s official police file and another of him wearing a long blonde wig and a dress inside the custody area of a Melbourne police station.

The images subsequently appeared on the front page of the West Australian and Herald Sun newspapers on Monday, and in other News Corp papers the next day.

A senior constable from the southern metro region was suspended on Monday for taking the photos and sharing them with about six other people via Whatsapp.

On Tuesday night Victoria police said a second officer, also a senior constable, had been suspended “in relation to photos circulating on social media of a person who was in custody at a police station in Victoria”.

Both officers are expected to be formally charged under section 227 of the Victorian Police Act, which punishes the unauthorised access to, use or disclosure of police information by officers. The offence carries a penalty of up to two years in prison or a fine of up to $39,652.

The leak has prompted outrage among the legal profession and civil rights groups. On Wednesday the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission called on Victoria police to investigate not just the individual officers but also the “underlying cultural issues that allowed such an incident to arise”.

A 2019 report by the commission into the experiences of LGBTIQ employees within Victoria police identified “a hypermasculine and heteronormative culture that normalises transphobic and homophobic attitudes” within the organisation.

Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights commissioner Kristen Hilton said while Victoria police had taken steps to improve its relationship with the LGBTIQ community, incidents such as the leaked photographs of Laidley “cause incredible distress and concern” to members of that community.

“This is a deplorable breach of an individual’s right to privacy by a public institution that is expected to uphold the highest standards of integrity,” Hilton said.

“Victoria police plays a vital role in assuring the safety of the Victorian community – but they can only succeed in that role if their conduct inspires public confidence and reassures Victorians of their commitment to fair and equal treatment for all.

“Every individual should expect the right to not have their private lives, their family, home or personal information, interfered with. It’s clear that that right has not been upheld in this instance.”

On Monday Patton apologised on behalf of the force, saying, “clearly, we have let down that person”.

“We’ve breached their privacy and I do apologise on behalf of Victoria police,” he said.

Former North Melbourne coach and premiership player Dean Laidley has been remanded in custody and did not apply for bail, according to a report.

The 53-year-old 1996 premiership player was reportedly arrested in St Kilda last night and will remain behind bars after not applying for bail today.

Channel Nine Crime reporter Lana Murphy broke the news on Sunday night.

“This is still very much a developing story,” she said.

“The father of three and former premiership player this afternoon fronted a magistrate in court with multiple charges.

“It was a brief appearance and he did not apply for bail. Therefore he will remain in custody until the 11th May when more will be revealed about the nature of his charges.”

More will be revealed about his charges in court on May 11.

The Herald Sun’s crime reporter Aneeka Simonis also reported the charge was stalking as well as other offences.

“Police arrested a 53-year-old man on Saturday 2 May in relation to an incident outside (an) address in St Kilda about 9pm,” Victoria Police said in a statement.

“He was charged with stalking and other matters.

“The Moonee Ponds man was held over to appear before Melbourne Magistrates’ Court today, Sunday 3 May.

“He was remanded to appear at the same court on 11 May.

“As the matter is before the court it would be inappropriate to comment further at this time.”

Laidley played 151 games for West Coast and North Melbourne, then coaching the Kangaroos for six and a half seasons.

A Victorian magistrate has dismissed a perjury charge against former AFL player Nick Stevens over allegations he lied in court about a woman with whom he exchanged raunchy text messages.

The former Carlton player, 38, was charged with giving false evidence to Ringwood Magistrates Court in December 2014, when he stated he did not know a woman by the name of Samantha Nash.

Magistrate Ross Maxted today said the charge did not comply with the law.

“This charge is defective and the charge will be marked as dismissed,” he told Melbourne Magistrates Court.

Victoria Police has been ordered to pay Stevens’ legal costs.

Stevens did not say anything as he left court with barrister Sean Cash.

At the start of his pre-trial committal hearing on Wednesday, the court was told Stevens and Ms Nash exchanged more than 600 text messages and videos of a sexual nature after meeting at a football event in 2012.

Stevens also made a lewd video of himself with a picture of Ms Nash.

She later told police she decided to forward the texts to Stevens’ then partner so she knew “what Stevens was doing behind her back”.

Mr Maxted said there did not seem to be a dispute about what happened.

“Most of the facts are pretty uncontroversial, other than knowledge of Ms Nash,” he said.

“There’s a Facebook print-out, there’s text messages, there’s a video message.”

But Mr Maxted said he was “struggling” to understand how they had demonstrated Stevens “wilfully and corruptly gave false evidence when he stated that he did not know Samantha Nash”.

The magistrate said the charge against Stevens appeared to be “improperly framed”.

But prosecutor Penny Thorp said the allegation Stevens “knowingly” gave false evidence included the “wilful” and “corrupt” elements of the offence before the court.

“The word ‘knowing’ encapsulates the elements ‘wilful’ and ‘corruptly’,” she said.

Mr Maxted’s criticisms of the Crown case prompted the defence to ask the court to throw out the charge due to “deficiency in the allegations of the charge before the court”.

In dismissing the charge, the magistrate said the way prosecutors had run the case had put Stevens at a “material disadvantage”.

Mr Maxted said he had given the prosecution a chance to amend the charge, but they only changed the wording, and not the legal elements.

Mr Cash had earlier objected to the charge being amended in the middle of a committal hearing, saying it amounted to “a changing of the goal post”.

With AAP

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