Tyler William Sinclair Hull sentenced in Coffs district court for meth supply

A meth ‘courier’ had almost 1kg of meth hidden throughout the car he borrowed to make a drug run to Sydney.

A young meth ‘courier’ caught with almost 1kg of meth hidden throughout a car during a drug run risked life in jail for just $1500.

Judge Jonathan Priestley said Tyler William Sinclair Hull did not have a “management role” in the syndicate but was “essentially a courier” who had taken a great risk when he decided to drive a borrowed car down to Sydney to pick up drugs.

Mr Priestley told Coffs Harbour District Court that Hull, 26, borrowed a car from another man involved in the network and drove it to Sydney to collect methamphetamine.

He said Hull was stopped at Urunga, south of Coffs Harbour, in March 2021 on his way back up the coast.

Judge Priestley said officers found 992g of methamphetamine stashed in various hidden compartments of the car as well as three phones.

Police had been investigating the drug operation using tracking and listening devices which revealed Hull expected to pick up more than 1kg of meth for payments totalling $1500.

Judge Priestley told the court it was a huge risk with the maximum penalty being life in jail compared to the “reward” and that during his trial Hull had described his actions as “the most stupid and dumb thing he has done”.

While Judge Priestley accepted Hull was a relatively minor player in the operation there was a level of “sophistication” given the drugs were hidden in the car.

He said Hull was already on conditional liberty in relation to several previous drug offences.

Coffs Harbour courthouse.

The court also heard Hull left school at year nine and had a troubled upbringing despite the best efforts of his mother to bring up six children as a sole parent.

Hull’s mother, who was there with several of his brothers and sisters, broke down when the sentence was delivered.

Judge Priestley told the court Hull grew up in housing commission homes and was exposed to crime, fighting, drinking and drugs.

For the charges of supply prohibited drugs on an ongoing basis and supply prohibited drug (greater than a large commercial quantity), Hull was given an aggregate jail term of four years, eight months.

Hull has served 17 months in pre-sentence custody and will be eligible for parole on November 12, 2023.