The former chief operating officer with AFL club Western Bulldogs has admitted failing to file tax returns for 13 financial years.
Robert Stubbs appeared in the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Thursday and described a “nightmare” past five years as he tried to find and organise his taxation paperwork.
Stubbs, an accountant who worked for almost 10 years with the Bulldogs before leaving last year, left court without being convicted.
On his own volition, he donated $10,000 to the court fund. He told magistrate Kay Robertson he and his wife owned properties and investments together and had relocated to Perth in 1998.
He said they then arrived in Melbourne in 2000 and problems began when business mail was lost from a post office box.
“It’s been a nightmare for the past five years,” said Stubbs, who was unrepresented and who pleaded guilty to 13 charges of failing to comply with requirements of the commissioner of taxation to lodge returns.
Prosecutor Rian Chubb told Ms Robertson that Stubbs, who has no prior convictions, has now lodged the returns. Mr Chubb said notices from the tax office were sent to him at a post office box in South Melbourne but he had failed to provide the returns.
He submitted the offending returns – which carried maximum fines of $63,400 – warranted a conviction but that it had not involved any “dishonest element”.
Stubbs told the court it had been “almost impossible” and “very, very difficult” to get “data” from many years ago. “It’s not for want of trying,” he told Ms Robertson.
His affairs were now “up to scratch” after updating information with agents, management funds and investments, he said, and accepted that he should be fined.
Asked by Ms Robertson if a conviction would affect his future, Stubbs said it “may well affect my future”.
She took into account his guilty pleas and noted it was relevant no financial gain was involved, but said the offending was aggravated by the long period of time involved.
Ms Robertson released Stubbs on a $5000 12-month bond to be of good behaviour for 12 months. Outside court, he told Fairfax Media that he and everyone at the Western Bulldogs worked “enormous hours” and “put their heart and soul” into the club on reduced salaries. “Your work consumes you,” Stubbs said, “and some of your personal activities end up taking a back seat.”
