St Kilda football legend Carl Ditterich has been arrested over allegations of child sexual abuse.
9News can reveal the 78-year-old was charged by Victoria Police’s Sexual Offences and Child-Abuse Investigation Team last week.
He’s facing three counts of indecent assault and one count of gross indecency.
It’s understood the charges relate to an alleged incident that took place in 1985 at Heatherton and relate to one alleged victim.
Ditterich was due to appear at Melbourne Magistrates Court today but his lawyer Tony Hargreaves supplied a letter from Bendigo Health excusing him.
The VFL hardman made his debut with the St Kilda Football Club in 1963 as a 17-year-old, becoming a household name over the ensuing seasons.
Nicknamed the “Blonde Bombshell”, he went on to play 285 games for the Saints and Melbourne, coaching the Demons for two years as a playing coach.
After his retirement in 1980, he purchased a wheat farm with his family near Swan Hill.
Ditterich also stood as an independent candidate for the seat of Swan Hill in the 1999 Victorian state election but was unsuccessful.
He’s due back in court on June 28 for a committal mention.
