Cronulla Sharks NRL star Nicho Hynes breaks silence after mum Julie avoided jail for drug supply
NRL star Nicho Hynes hopes his mum will be able to ‘reshape her life’ in her new ‘forever’ home in Cronulla after narrowly avoiding jail time for heroin supply.
Julie Hynes appeared in local court at Downing Center on Tuesday where she was given a two-year prison sentence to serve in the community for knowingly participating in the delivery of 180.7g of heroin.
She will now live in a one bedroom studio apartment owned by her NRL star son and will work for his charitable organisation.
Hynes was found guilty at trial earlier this year after police discovered a pill press in her home on the NSW Central Coast.
Another man, Michael William Selvage, was acquitted of the same charge at trial.
Officers made the alarming discovery when they responded to the death of 29-year-old Luke Murphy, who allegedly overdosed on heroin while operating the drug press in Hynes’ bathroom.
Neither Hynes nor Mr. Selwage are charged with responsibility for Mr. Murphy’s death.
Body-worn CCTV footage captured of NRL star’s mother Julie Hynes after an accidental heroin overdose at her home in Blackwall
Hynes will leave Sydney’s John Maddison Tower on Monday, where he supported his mother Julie awaiting sentencing
Julie Hynes has been given the chance to reclaim her life, with her son offering her a place to stay and a job with his charitable organization.
Judge David Wilson told Downing Center District Court on Tuesday that Hyne’s role in the operation was “extremely limited” and that Mr Murphy had set up the big pill press while Hynes was in Canberra to watch her son battle the Melbourne Storm.
“Hynes was not involved in getting the press to the location or pressing the heroin,” he said.
Her liability for participation in the heroin manufacturer arises only because Mr. Murphy chose, without consulting Hynes, to place the press in the bathroom of the property where she lived.
“I accept Hynes wasn’t happy about that.”
The court heard that Hynes had woken up around 2:00 am that morning when a number of calls were made from her telephone to Mr Selwage.
Judge Wilson claimed that the calls were made by Mr. Murphy to buy parts for the press.
Julie Hynes and co-defendant Michael Selvage arrive at Downing Center District Court to hear their sentencing
Hynes played for Cronulla at Brisbane’s Magic Round at the weekend before attending his mother’s sentencing in Sydney this week
Cronulla Sharks coach Craig Fitzgibbon was also on hand to support his star player
In messages to her son, Wade Hynes, Hynes said she had been up much of the night tending to an unidentified person who the court heard was likely Mr. found it.
Hynes also later admitted that she had been hesitant to call emergency services for fear that she and Mr. Murphy – who was an old friend – could potentially be charged by authorities.
At sentencing, Judge David Wilson told the court that Hynes had a criminal record dating back to 1993 and that she had been “not entirely candid” in the evidence presented to the court and in her bills to the clinical psychologist.
“The perpetrator has, perhaps inappropriately, a distrust of those in authority,” said Judge Wilson.
“I think that’s why she tried to downplay her role in this crime.”
She told a clinical psychologist while in custody that it was the first time she had been drug-free in 25 years.
Justice Wilson sentenced to two years in prison, to serve in the community.
She will be released to live in Nicho’s house in Cronulla, where she will live in an adjoining one-bedroom studio.
Hynes has gone from strength to strength in Cronulla and has bought a property on the peninsula where his mother can also live
His mother is Nicho Hynes; biggest fan and he wants to help her get her life back by giving her a place to stay and by working with his charitable organization
Hynes told the Downing Center court on Monday that she would work for her son’s charity after her release.
She will also continue to pursue her artist interests, which she said rekindled while in custody.
Justice Wilson said the “carefully worded” testimonies of Hynes’s two sons had convinced him that she was unlikely to reoffend.
“The sons of Hynes have taken steps that will most likely remove their mother from the abusive environment that has been for most of her life,” he said.
“Her son, Wade, expressed his heartfelt belief that this move, surrounded by loved ones, away from trauma, will change the rest of her life.”
Son Nicho Hynes told reporters on Monday that he would house his mother “forever.”
“Everything that happened is now a thing of the past,” he said outside court.
Hynes was also convicted of possession of 5 grams of marijuana, but was not sentenced.
She has to undergo alcohol rehab and is not allowed to communicate with Mr. Selvage.