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7 months ago
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Former AFL player Carl Ditterich has been charged with multiple child sexual offences related to an alleged incident in 1985.
The 78-year-old from Moama faces three counts of indecent assault and one count of gross indecency, all involving a single alleged victim.
He was scheduled to appear at the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Friday.
The arrest, confirmed by Victoria Police, relates to an accusation that Ditterich assaulted a child in Heatherton, southeast of Melbourne, when he was in his early 40s, shortly after ending his AFL career.
The charges were issued by the Bayside Sexual Offences and Child-abuse Investigation Team (SOCIT).
'Bayside Sexual Offences and Child Abuse Investigation Team detectives have charged a man following an investigation into alleged historic child sex offences,' the statement said.
'The incidents against one victim [allegedly] occurred in Heatherton in 1985.'
Ditterich was known as the 'Blonde Bomber' during his playing days because of his shock of blonde hair and aggressive playing style
Ditterich [pictured right] was inducted into the AFL Hall of Fame in Melbourne in 2004
The alleged incident happened after Ditterich's playing career for St Kilda and Melbourne had concluded
Ditterich, now living in Echuca, has engaged Tony Hargreaves, a well-known criminal defence lawyer, for his defence.
The Herald Sun has reported Hargreaves appeared at the Melbourne Magistrates' Court and presented a medical certificate from Bendigo Health for Ditterich, who was absent from the hearing.
This certificate was submitted to account for Ditterich's non-appearance.
Ditterich, known as the Blonde Bomber, had a distinguished career playing for St Kilda and Melbourne Football Clubs in the VFL, and later served as Melbourne's captain-coach for two years.
Known for his dynamic debut at 17 and his robust playing style as a ruckman, Ditterich's aggressive approach to the game often led him to the VFL Tribunal, notably causing him to miss St Kilda's 1966 premiership win due to suspension.
Throughout his career, Ditterich made significant moves between clubs, including a notable transfer to Melbourne under the '10-year rule' and a return to St Kilda, before ending his playing career with a coaching stint at Melbourne.
'He was an exciting and controversial footballer from start to finish and made a rich contribution to the club's history,' Ditterich's St Kilda Hall of Fame profile reads.
'He possessed that rare and indefinable quality – presence – and whenever he was on the field, the rest of the side walked tall. Ditterich was a natural athlete and combined the height of a ruckman with the pace and agility of a ruck-rover.'
Ditterich is due back in court on June 28 for a committal mention.
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