Former West Coast rookie Ben Sharp has been sentenced to nine years jail in the Victorian County Court for his part in an ice-fuelled armed robbery in 2014.
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In his defence Sharp had claimed he fell into drug use during his time at the Eagles between 2004 and 2007 due to pressure from senior players.
“I had to use cocaine. I thought it was a way to get in with the boys, so I used coke,” Sharp said in a statement to the court during his trial.
Judge Geoffrey Chettle referred to the statement in sentencing, but said it didn’t affect his ruling.
“You claimed it was part of the culture that existed at the football club at the time,” Judge Chettle said.
“You claim that senior members of the club required you to be in or out, either you used or you left. You chose the former.”
Judge Chettle did recognise the problem of the drug culture at West Coast at the time.
“It does however, give the court some understanding of how an intelligent and talented sportsman from a hard working family can find himself where you now sit.”
