Latest news with #MarlionPickett
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Premiership-winning footy star makes bombshell move after being accused of serious crimes related to four burglaries that saw crooks steal more than $350,000
Dual premiership player Marlion Pickett has pleaded guilty to two charges relating to a series of serious burglaries which took place over two years ago. The former Richmond star, 33, who had enjoyed a storied rise to the top of the AFL, had originally been charged with 12 offences in relation to four burglaries that took place between December 3, 2022, and January 3, 2023. He was accused of helping to steal over $350,000 from businesses around Western Australia. Some of those accusations included aggravated burglary, stealing and criminal damage. However, the majority of those charges were dropped after prosecutors held negotiations with the former Richmond star's lawyers. Both parties reasoned there was 'no public interest' in pursuing them. Instead, during an appearance in the District Court in Perth on Thursday, Pickett pleaded guilty to one charge of dealing with money that was the proceeds of crime and a second charge of possessing money that was the proceeds of crime between December 4 and December 10, 2022. He was arrested in 2022 in connection with the thefts, which took place in Perth, Beverley and Bindoon and Girrawheen between 2022 and 2023. The largest theft took place in Girrawheen, where $325,000 was allegedly stolen from a currency exchange. The 33-year-old, who was snapped up by the Tigers as a No 13 pick in the 2019 mid-season rookie draft following six years at South Fremantle, was accused of hiring a campervan to move the stolen funds across Australia. He was also accused of buying tools and clothes for the heists. The footy star was allegedly renumerated with $15,000 of the stolen cash. After joining the Tigers, Pickett, who hails from South Fremantle, famously went on to become the first player to debut in a premiership Grand Final in 67 years in 2019. The half-back also helped guide Richmond to the 2020 title, in what was just his 20th game at the club. Pickett would go on to return 27 goals across 91 appearances for the footy club, before hanging up his boots in 2024.
ABC News
4 days ago
- General
- ABC News
Former AFL player Marlion Pickett pleads guilty to two offences as burglary charges dropped
Dual Richmond premiership player Marlion Pickett, who had a fairytale rise to the top in AFL, has pleaded guilty to charges of possessing and dealing with stolen money — but multiple other charges against him have been dropped. Pickett had been facing a dozen criminal charges, including aggravated burglary, stealing and criminal damage. The charges related to alleged incidents in suburban Perth, Beverley and Bindoon in late 2022 and early 2023. Police had alleged he was involved in burglaries on commercial properties in which hundreds of thousands of dollars was stolen, but the vast majority of those charges have now been dropped. In the District Court in Perth today, Pickett pleaded guilty to two charges including dealing with money that was the proceeds of an offence and possessing money that was the proceeds of an offence. The prosecutor said there was no reasonable prospect of conviction on the other charges, which were discontinued. Pickett retired from AFL football last year. He had to wait until the age of 27 to get his chance in the AFL when — after almost seven years with South Fremantle — he was selected by Richmond with pick 13 in the 2019 mid-season rookie draft. He famously played in a premiership just a few months later in his first ever senior game, making his debut in the 2019 grand final, which the Tigers won by 89 points against GWS. He became a dual premiership player the following year when Richmond defeated Geelong at the Gabba. The 33-year-old will remain on bail ahead of a sentencing hearing in December.
