Charges dropped against football great Carl Ditterich

“Decisions about whether to discontinue a prosecution are never made lightly,” a spokesperson said in a statement on Friday.

“And after careful consideration of the evidence it was determined that there are not reasonable prospects of conviction.“

Mr Ditterich, 79, had been due to stand trial in the County Court over the alleged incident and had denied the allegations.

He was accused of sexually abusing a girl under the age of 16 on August 27, 1985, after he had retired from the Victorian Football League.

The alleged incident took place in a parked car in a back street of Moorabbin after the pair had gone to buy alcohol.

Mr Ditterich was charged with three counts of indecent assault and one count of gross indecency in April 2024.

The former ruckman played 285 games for St Kilda and Melbourne during his 17-year career.

He was one of the most reported players in AFL/VFL history, appearing before the tribunal 19 times and being suspended for 30 matches.

He missed St Kilda’s only premiership in 1966 while serving a six-match ban.

Mr Ditterich is a member of St Kilda’s team of the century and was also inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame in 2004.

— with AAP