- A former football player has been convicted
- Troy Hearfield represented Australia
- He has committed a series of crimes this year
A former footballer has been jailed after a crime spree involving a string of thefts, drug possession and driving offences.
Troy Hearfield, 36, was a regular in the A-League with stints at Newcastle Jets, Wellington Phoenix and Central Coast Mariners. As a youngster he represented Australia at U-20 and U-23 level.
However, he suffered a serious downfall, which culminated in a prison sentence imposed on him on Thursday.
The former right-back was caught on CCTV driving a blanket-covered pram at Bunnings Bennetts Green, near Newcastle, on April 21.
A Makita chainsaw and drill were in the stroller. He paid for some items at the cash register, but not for the power tools.
A former footballer (left) has been jailed for 12 months for a series of offences
Troy Hearfield played for Central Coast Mariners but has suffered a major downfall
A few months later, on July 25, Hearfield was caught on CCTV stealing a bottle of ‘Atomic enhancement pills’ worth $190 from the Flirt adult store in Port Macquarie.
He then collected a number of driving chargers as he left the adult store, where he was banned from driving, but was seen pulling into a hotel parking lot a week later, and again on September 21 at Sandy Beach.
He was later arrested on outstanding warrants, during which officers found him in possession of a small bag containing 1.35 grams of methylamphetamine.
Hearfield’s lawyer Lachlan Jackson-Porter told Coffs Harbor Local Court that the former footballer had been in custody for a number of weeks and this was the first time he had been behind bars.
“It’s quite a shock (for him),” Mr Jackson-Porter said.
He explained that Hearfield has struggled with life since being let go by the Mariners eight years ago due to off-field issues, while his father suffered a heart attack in June.
The court also heard Hearfield has a job with Transport for NSW where he would be regularly drug tested.
He was convicted of shoplifting, drug possession and a handful of driving violations
He pleads guilty to theft valued at less than $2,000, shoplifting, possession of a prohibited drug and three charges of driving a motor vehicle during a disqualification period.
Hearfield was given a 12-month prison sentence with a non-parole period of seven months, with Magistrate Theresa Hamilton saying he had a persistent pattern of ignoring court orders and that ‘his driving history is not good at all’.
He will be eligible for release on May 21 next year.