Man who stole more than $23,000 from Gungahlin United Football Club avoids jail

A man who swindled a Canberra football club out of more $23,546 to enjoy "a few months of lavish living", has escaped a custodial sentence.

Aaron Alexander who, as President of Gungahlin United Football Club committed 48 counts of theft occurred over more than seven months between December 2017 and July 2018, was sentenced in the ACT Magistrates Court on Friday.

Magistrate Glenn Theakston sentenced Alexander to a wholly suspended prison term upon entering into a good behaviour order for 24 months for the thefts.

Alexander, who previously spent 14 days in jail while on remand, is also required to complete 160 hours of community service.

Theakston said the thefts from the volunteer-run club were "conducted with a breathtaking level of groundless, inexcusable entitlement".

On Monday, the Court had heard that Alexander had used almost $9000 of club money to make payments to lease a Land Rover Defender and that, among other thefts, he also transferred about $13,500 to his personal and business bank accounts, among other thefts.

The Magistrate said non-profit clubs were "vulnerable for exploitation" because they have "a heavy reliance on good will, cooperation and trust", noting “as what happened here a charismatic person can engender confidence ... and then exploit.”

A victim impact statement, tendered to Court on behalf of the Club earlier this week, said the crimes not only resulted in financial hardship but had "a profound impact on the mental wellbeing of volunteers and their families".

It advised that the club has "lost face" with its "name in tatters" and its volunteers subject to abuse.

The statement added "for the people who uncovered the truth, who blew the whistle, who stood up in court to give evidence and for those who worked behind the scenes, there's the constant 'looking over the shoulder' due to fear of real and physical danger that he may soon be free to walk among us again with an axe to grind.

 “While his theft may have provided him with a few months of lavish living, it has created years on anguish for the club he betrayed."

Alexander, a US citizen, may face deportation.

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