Former Aussie football star Kerem Bulut jailed for four years in bizarre Sydney robbery
Once tipped as Tim Cahill’s successor, Bulut receives a four-year sentence with a two-year minimum, after pleading guilty to demanding property by force in company.
A former Australian footballer has been jailed for four years for demanding property by force while in the company of another, with a minimum term of two years backdated to account for time already served. The sentence, handed down at Downing Centre District Court on Thursday, means Kerem Bulut will be eligible for parole on Oct. 3.
Bulut, 33, rose through Australia’s youth national teams and later played professionally in Germany, Greece and Turkey, as well as two stints with the Western Sydney Wanderers. He had long been viewed as a potential successor to Socceroos legend Harry Kewell before his career unraveled amid a pattern of drug use and criminal trouble. He had been in and out of custody since January 2022, largely due to a struggle with methamphetamine and related offences, and spent the past two years behind bars.
The latest case stems from a September 2023 arrest following a chaotic incident in Sydney’s eastern suburbs. Court documents show Bulut and his girlfriend, Angel Mounce-Stephens, were involved in a plan to lure a 37-year-old Bathurst man to an Airbnb in Coogee with two women, then pressure him for cash and valuables. The victim agreed to meet the group after messages suggested the presence of women and a social arrangement, according to a statement of facts tendered to the court.
Bulut confronted the man in a rented-unit lounge, punching him and demanding money while another man of Islander heritage joined the confrontation. Prosecutors said Bulut then forced the victim to unlock his phone and used a banking app to transfer about $600 from Mounce-Stephens’s account. As the victim attempted to leave, Bulut allegedly continued the assault and the two left with the man’s wallet and other goods, including clothing and accessories. CCTV later captured Bulut wearing one of the victim’s tops near his home, with police stopping him a few days later in possession of the stolen items.
In the days that followed, Bulut and Mounce-Stephens were linked to a broader spree of theft and intimidation tied to the robbery, with the victim’s wallets and other belongings found in the couple’s possession. Bulut pleaded guilty in June to demanding property by force while in company, a charge that carried the four-year sentence.
Mounce-Stephens, who faced related counts, pleaded guilty to larceny of goods worth more than $5,000 but less than $15,000 and received a nine-month intensive correction order. She died at her Newtown home on Aug. 30, 2023, three weeks after her sentencing.
The prosecution highlighted Bulut’s remorse and his guilty plea as factors in the sentence. Acting Judge Antony Townsden noted special circumstances, including Bulut’s commitment to addressing his addiction and the need for extended supervision in the community after release. His minimum term was backdated to reflect time already served, and he will be eligible for parole on Oct. 3.
Bulut’s fall from a potentially international career began with a cocaine case in 2018, and since 2020 he has faced a string of prosecutions across Sydney on various charges. The case underscores a dramatic arc—from a promising youth with an eye on the Socceroos to a former player entangled in crime and addiction, now navigating a path back to the community under strict supervision.