Former Saint Milne escapes conviction
Former AFL player Stephen Milne has been fined $15,000 but avoided a conviction for indecently assaulting a woman 10 years ago.
The ex-St Kilda forward admitted to indecently assaulting a 19-year-old woman at a teammate’s house following a drunken night out in 2004.
Victorian County Court Judge Michael Bourke described the incident as a non-violent but physical sexual act.
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He said both the victim and Milne had suffered due to the decade-long delay in bringing the matter to court, and described Milne as a different and far more mature man than at the time of his crime.
“The evidence is highly persuasive that this offending was out of character,” Judge Bourke said on Tuesday.
He accepted Milne was a man of good character who had suffered from the publicity of the high profile incident.
“You have been the subject of public scrutiny and public abuse,” Judge Bourke said.
“Your family has witnessed and been distressed by this.”