FORMER St Kilda player Stephen Milne has been fined $15,000 but avoided a conviction for indecently assaulting a woman 10 years ago.

Milne admitted to indecently assaulting a 19-year-old woman at a teammate's house following a drunken night out in 2004.

Victorian County Court Judge Michael Bourke described the incident as a non-violent but physical sexual act.

He said both the victim and Milne had suffered due to the decade-long delay in bringing the matter to court, and described Milne as a different and far more mature man than at the time of his crime.

"The evidence is highly persuasive that this offending was out of character," Judge Bourke said on Tuesday.

He accepted Milne was a man of good character who had suffered from the publicity of the high profile incident.

"You have been the subject of public scrutiny and public abuse," Judge Bourke said.

"Your family has witnessed and been distressed by this."

Milne, 34, had been due to face trial charged with three counts of rape later this month.

But he pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of indecent assault on November 6 after the Office of Public Prosecutions withdrew the rape allegations.

Milne was supported in court by his wife Melissa and his father and brother.

He has six months to pay the fine.