AFLW cocaine bust: What happened on the night two Swans stars were caught with drugs in one of Sydney’s trendiest suburbs

EXCLUSIVE

The two AFLW stars caught with cocaine in the off-season were arrested by police after stealing the drug from a dealer in a car outside a trendy Sydney beach bar, it can be revealed.

A police statement of facts obtained by Daily Mail Australia sets out the series of events in which Sydney Swans players Alexia Hamilton and Paige Sheppard ultimately pleaded guilty to possession of the drug at a court appearance on the 30th. from January.

Strike Force Northrop officers detained the pair on December 2 last year after observing Hamilton leaving the Clovelly Hotel in Sydney’s east and apparently sending a text message to someone on his phone.

Sheppard (pictured right) and Hamilton were seen spending approximately 15 seconds in a car, and Hamilton later admitted that he purchased drugs in the vehicle.

The two football stars were at the Clovelly Hotel (pictured) in Sydney’s exclusive eastern suburbs when police stopped them.

She and Sheppard were seen getting into a Toyota near the bar shortly after 5.45pm and then exiting the vehicle “after a period of no more than 15 seconds”.

The officers showed their badges to the soccer stars and asked them if they had just bought drugs inside the car.

According to the document, Hamilton responded “yes,” at which point police activated body cameras and warned the couple.

When asked if he had drugs at the time, Hamilton responded, “Yes, cocaine,” and later confirmed that the drugs had been purchased in the car, the statement reveals.

Officers then asked him how much he paid for the drugs and Hamilton responded “four hundred.”

“Shortly after the defendant (Hamilton) reached into her blouse and handed police a tissue containing two clear zipper bags and the co-defendant (Sheppard) handed police a clear zipper bag, which she recovered from inside her blouse,” the statement said.

Police officers asked Hamilton (pictured playing for the Swans last season) if he had any drugs and he responded: “Yes, cocaine,” according to the statement.

Hamilton told police words like, “I have two and she has one,” referring to Sheppard.

Police asked Sheppard how much cocaine she thought she had on her and she responded, “I don’t know, I had some.”

The statements show police found 0.6 grams of the drug in Sheppard and two grams in Hamilton.

Officers noted that Hamilton, 23, of Eastgardens, and Sheppard, 22, of Randwick, were “cooperative throughout the interaction, fully admitting to the offense as quickly as possible” and that they expressed genuine remorse.

Statements showed Sheppard (pictured in action for Sydney in 2022) was found with 0.6 grams of the drug, while Hamilton was found with two grams.

They were issued court attendance notices and allowed to leave the scene.

Hamilton and Sheppard’s offenses fall under section 10(1) of the Drugs Trafficking and Misuse Act 1985.

They appeared at Waverley Local Court, in Sydney’s east, on January 30 this year and were each sentenced to a 12-month probation order, which is very similar to a good behavior bond, and is not subject to bail. recorded no conviction.

Under the terms of the order, Hamilton and Sheppard must abstain from drug use and commit no further offenses during the 12-month period.

The Swans have so far declined to comment on the matter.

Under the AFL’s illicit drug policy, any player caught using illegal drugs receives a first strike, a $5000 suspended fine and counseling and is subject to selective testing.

A second strike results in the player being publicly named and suspended for four games.