Former All White Clayton Lewis was in the grips of a gambling addiction when he was reeled into a spot-fixing scheme at his Sydney A-League club, a court has heard.
The Kiwi midfielder appeared before the Local Court of New SouthWales in central Sydney on Wednesday to be sentenced for his role in one of Australia’s biggest sports corruption scandals.
He appeared alongside his former Macarthur FC teammate Kearyn Baccus, who was also ensnared in the “yellow-card manipulation racket”, allegedly orchestrated by the team’s former captain Ulises Davila.
Lewis and Baccus each pleaded guilty to one charge of engaging in conduct that corrupted a betting outcome in July and were due to be sentenced on Wednesday.
However, after hearing lengthy submissions from Lewis’ lawyers, Magistrate Michael Blair adjourned the hearing until next Wednesday, when he will hand down his sentence.
Lewis’ legal representatives, Zemarai Khatiz and Gabrielle Bashir, are seeking a community release order of two years and that a conviction not be entered.
Bashir submitted to the court that Lewis’ moral culpability was at the lower end as the 28-year-old was “targeted and exploited” because he was a known gambling addict.
She said there was a clear power imbalance between Davila, his former captain, and Lewis.
Clayton Lewis pleaded guilty to corrupting a betting outcome but his sentencing has been adjourned for further submissions. Photo / Photosport
“Not only was he targeted, he was asked to do it by someone who was in a position of power and influence over him.”
The court heard Lewis has since been diagnosed with a gambling addiction and is undergoing treatment.
Davila, the team’s captain and alleged “point man” for a South American crime figure, is yet to enter a plea on the nine charges he faces and is due to reappear before the court later this month.
The court also heard Lewis has suffered from serious mental health impacts since his arrest in May last year.
Bashir told the court her client has been diagnosed with depression and PTSD as a result of his arrest, when “police in tactical gear stormed his apartment while he and his partner slept”.
“Not only was that apartment stormed, there is an image that went all around the world of him being cuffed and searched.”
She said Lewis had already suffered significant punishment.
“He has carried the scorn of the nation. It will indelibly follow him for the rest of his life.”
The Crown was seeking a community correction order for Lewis and Baccus and asked the magistrate to consider “what message it would send to the football community” if convictions for the offending were not entered.
