A former AFL player has been sentenced to five months in prison after pleading guilty to multiple charges relating to drugs, driving and theft.
Aaron James, 48, appeared in Frankston Magistrates Court on Tuesday. The charges relate to offences that took place between November 2024 and May 2025.
During that period, Mr James had stolen from shops, robbed number plates, was involved in a car crash at an Eastland car park and had also been involved in two car chases with police, Frankston Magistrates Court heard.
Mr James had failed to attend court in relation to other matters and a statewide manhunt was subsequently launched.
He was arrested by police on May 26.
Last week, he attended a court hearing via a video link, where he was handed a $1,000 fine after pleading guilty to behaving indecently in public with a woman during a visit to the Mornington Peninsula.
Ex-AFL star Aaron James (pictured) is set to spend five months behind bars after pleading guilty to offences relating to drugs, theft and dangerous driving
The court heard that the 48-year-old had been cavorting with the naked woman behind a beach box back in March.
Police had found him wearing nothing but his underwear, with a witness stating they had seen the former AFL player rubbing liquid from a green bottle onto the woman who had been kneeling on all fours in the sand.
The court heard that he had also been seen thrusting his hips at the woman while his penis had also been exposed.
Mr James, who was drafted to Collingwood in the 1993 AFL draft, was handed a $1,000 fine.
Injuries would hamper his time at Collingwood, with the footy player going on to play just 23 times for the Magpies between 1994 and 1997.
He had also found himself in trouble with the law during his playing career, with Mr James being charged with affray following an incident with members of security in a nightclub in 1996.
A year later, he found himself back in court after he urinated on two women at a bar in South Yarra. He received a fine over the matter and also had frustrated Collingwood club chiefs, with the side opting to trade him to the Tigers ahead of the 1998 season.
It came after the three-club player (right) was fined $1,000 after he pleaded guilty to indecent exposure at a beach on the Mornington Peninsula
Knee injuries would stunt his playing time with Richmond, with the footy star making 30 appearances between 1998 and 2000, returning 19 goals for the club during that time.
He’d go on to retire from pro footy in 2002 following a spell with the Western Bulldogs, but would continue to play in the local leagues, turning out for Gisborne and Doutta Stars in the Essendon District Football Leagues.
Mr James went on to rack up a century of goals with Lalor in 2004, before doing so again with Albion the year after.
In 2011, he was hit with an 18-week ban and was deregistered by the AFL after an altercation with another fan.
