In a shocking development in AFL news, Richmond’s Marlion Pickett finds himself in the hot seat, facing serious allegations involving a string of commercial burglaries. The charges, which involve purported theft of over $380,000, were revealed just after Richmond’s recent victory over Fremantle.
Discuss the Marlion Pickett controversy here >>
Pickett was arrested post-match on Saturday night and appeared in the Perth Magistrate’s Court on Monday, where he was granted bail to return to Melbourne. The 31-year-old AFL player, known as a redemption story in the sporting world, now faces 12 charges that include stealing, property damage, and aggravated burglary.
WA Police claim that Pickett, his brother-in-law, and four additional accomplices targeted businesses across Perth, including the suburbs of Nollamara, Girrawheen, Beverley, Beechboro and Perth, during the December 2022 – January 2023 holiday period. They are accused of taking money from safes, with one instance allegedly involving the theft of $325,000 from a currency exchange.
The police prosecutor disclosed that the stolen funds are suspected of being laundered across various states in Australia. Prosecutors also claim Pickett’s involvement was evidenced by his phone’s proximity to one of the burglary sites during the crime and that a campervan used for the interstate transport of the stolen funds was rented under his name. It’s further alleged that Pickett purchased the clothing worn by the culprits, and received payments totaling $15,000 into his bank account.
Pickett’s defense lawyer, David Manera, contested these claims, pointing out that the evidence linking Pickett to the crimes was tenuous at best. The campervan, he argued, was driven by co-offenders, and not Pickett himself. He also questioned the reliability of the mobile tower ping as evidence, suggesting that it merely indicated the presence of the phone in the area, not necessarily the phone’s owner.
The police objected to Pickett’s bail, citing his past jail sentence in 2011. However, Manera countered that Pickett has been relatively law-abiding since then, with only one minor offence on record. Manera emphasized Pickett’s role as the sole provider for his partner and their three children, aged between six and 13.
Detailing Pickett’s cooperation with the investigation, Manera reported that Pickett voluntarily met with detectives at the Midland Police Station post-match, fully aware that they wished to question him. Unfortunately, his cooperation didn’t preclude his bail being initially refused.
Finally, the court granted Pickett bail to return to Melbourne, with stipulations for weekly reporting that allows him to continue playing football on the weekends. Pickett is due to reappear in court via video link on August 21.
While the AFL community digests these developments, all eyes are now on the August court date, when further details will emerge regarding these serious allegations against Marlion Pickett. Stay tuned for updates here on the blog.
