{"id":353296,"date":"2025-12-17T06:07:11","date_gmt":"2025-12-17T06:07:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/353296\/"},"modified":"2025-12-17T06:07:11","modified_gmt":"2025-12-17T06:07:11","slug":"former-afl-footballer-marlion-pickett-handed-suspended-prison-term","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/353296\/","title":{"rendered":"Former AFL footballer Marlion Pickett handed suspended prison term"},"content":{"rendered":"

Dual Richmond premiership player Marlion Pickett has been handed a suspended prison term for possessing and dealing with proceeds of crime, in what the judge described as a “line-ball decision”.<\/p>\n

Pickett had been facing a dozen criminal charges, including aggravated burglary, stealing and criminal damage, relating to incidents alleged to have taken place in suburban Perth, Beverley and Bindoon in late 2022 and early 2023.<\/p>\n

But those charges were later dropped, and in May he pleaded guilty to two new charges<\/a> \u2014 dealing with money that was the proceeds of an offence and possessing money that was the proceeds of an offence.<\/p>\n

\"Marlion<\/p>\n

Pickett was joined in court on Wednesday by a supporter as he was sentenced. (ABC News: Briana Shepherd)<\/p>\n

The new charges involved stolen foreign currency being transported from Perth to other parts of the country.<\/p>\n

In the Perth District Court on Wednesday, Pickett was sentenced to two years in jail, suspended for a period of 12 months.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Marlion<\/p>\n

Pickett was a two-time premiership player for Richmond and played 91 AFL games at the club. (AAP Image\/Joel Carrett)<\/p>\n

Judge Laurence Levy told Pickett the decision to give him a suspended prison term had been on a “knife’s edge”, having taken into consideration the seriousness of the offences alongside Pickett’s early guilty pleas and commitment to rehabilitation.<\/p>\n

Car used for trip with money\u00a0<\/p>\n

In December 2022, two of Pickett’s co-accused came into possession of stolen currency amounting to at least $300,000, the court heard.<\/p>\n

On December 5, Pickett signed a rental agreement for a car the pair intended to drive from Perth to Melbourne.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Pickett pleaded guilty to charges of possessing and dealing with stolen money, but other charges were dropped. (ABC News: Aran Hart)<\/p>\n

Along the way various amounts of foreign money were exchanged, and in one instance gold bullion was bought.<\/p>\n

Days later Pickett received two bank transfers, of $6,000 and $9,000.<\/p>\n

Judge Levy said Pickett aided the pair by signing the car rental agreement, knowing what they intended to use it for.<\/p>\n

Pickett then came into possession of $5,000 USD, which he exchanged into Australian dollars in Victoria in January 2023.<\/p>\n

Burglary charge dropped as ex-AFL player Marlion Pickett pleads guilty<\/a><\/p>\n

Marlion Pickett, who had a fairytale rise to the top in AFL football, \u00a0pleads guilty to charges relating to stolen money.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The court was told Pickett was related to one of the men, and had previously helped both of them out.<\/p>\n

Judge Levy said he accepted Pickett’s primary motivation was a sense of loyalty to his family.<\/p>\n

Pickett played 91 AFL games for Richmond after joining the club as a 27-year-old in 2019, famously playing in a premiership in his first-ever senior game.<\/p>\n

He became a dual premiership player the following year when Richmond defeated Geelong at the Gabba, and retired from the AFL in 2024.<\/p>\n

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