Disgraced former footballer Barry Cable will defend historical child sexual abuse allegations in a criminal trial, following a damning civil judgment.
The 82-year-old is fighting five counts of indecent dealing with a girl aged under 13 and two counts of unlawful carnal knowledge of a girl under 13.
The offences are alleged to have happened between January 1, 1967 and April 27, 1968.
The judge-only trial in the Western Australian District Court is expected to run from Tuesday until March 18.
A civil trial in the same court in 2023 found the former North Melbourne player abused a girl over five years from 1968 when she was aged 12.
The victim was awarded $818,700 in damages but expected to receive “zero” compensation because Cable had been declared bankrupt, her lawyer said.
The civil trial judge said there was also compelling evidence that the former footballer had violated other children.
Cable, who repeatedly attempted to have the civil court case proceedings permanently thrown out and did not attend the trial, denied the abuse.
He was later stripped of his Australian Football Hall of Fame honours following an illustrious playing career in the 1960s and ’70s for Perth and East Perth in the WAFL and North Melbourne in the VFL, going on to coach in both leagues.
He has also been dumped from the Sport Australia Hall of Fame and the West Australian Football Commission revoked the former champion’s Hall of Fame membership, including his Legend status.
North Melbourne, a club Cable also coached, erased him from their Hall of Fame books.
The WA Institute of Sport has also removed Cable’s WA Hall of Champions Honours.
1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)
National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028
Proudly Australian owned and operated