Jail sought for AFL legend’s son over $140,000 fraud

DiPierdomenico took to the witness box and apologised to Ms Edwards-Britt and her family.

“They’re a wonderful family; they gave me a great opportunity and I betrayed their trust,” he told the court.

He said he had stolen from the business after succumbing to a gambling addiction, a crutch for him to deal with pressures and anxiety amid family issues and an ADHD diagnosis. DiPierdomenico said he intended to pay back the money he had stolen as soon as he could.

Under questioning from Judge Richard Maidment, he revealed he did not disclose the offending to his next employer.

“You knew perfectly well that you had committed those offences but chose not to disclose them to your new employer?” the judge asked DiPierdomenico.

“I don’t know why I didn’t disclose it at the time,” he replied.

His barrister, Hayden Rattray, asked for DiPierdomenico to avoid jail time and instead be handed a community corrections order of five years. Rattray said DiPierdomenico had been subjected to years of delay in the case, as the offending began in 2018, and pointed to media attention having had a significant impact on him.

“The reality is that his face has been blasted over the pages of the paper and in media reports for many, many months now.”

DiPierdomenico, who is on bail, is to return to court to be sentenced on January 30.