Disgraced AFL legend to face historical sexual abuse charges in District Court

Disgraced AFL legend Barry Cable has maintained his innocence in the Perth Magistrates Court over historical sexual abuse claims that occurred more than five decades ago.

Cable has been charged with seven offences that allegedly involved a girl aged nine and 10 at the time of the alleged offending.

Police charged Cable in May, and he pleaded not guilty to those offences in the Perth Magistrates Court days later.

On Thursday, Cable’s defence lawyer told the magistrate that his client maintained pleas of not guilty to all charges and the matter was moved to the District Court.

Cable has been charged with five counts of indecent dealing with a girl under 13 and two counts of unlawful carnal knowledge of a girl under 13.

The former AFL Hall of Famer would have been aged 24 at the time of the alleged offences.

That was at the prime of his football career, winning WAFL premierships in both 1967 and 1968.

Cable has been stripped of his AFL Legend and Hall of Fame status.

North Melbourne also removed him from their Hall of Fame, as did the Sport Australia Hall of Fame.

The WA Institute of Sport Hall of Champions and WA Football Commission Hall of Fame also dumped him.

Cable is due to face the District Court on January 31, 2025.