Noel Ryan faced Lismore District Court for supplying a prohibited drug

A seriously ill man who tried to sell more than 34kg of marijuana in a last-ditch effort to provide for his family will likely face jail time for his crime.

A 76-year-old man who spent his remaining life savings on marijuana will face jail time, according to a Lismore judge.

In a case comparable to the plot line of television series Breaking Bad, Brisbane man Noel Ryan took to wholesale drug supply in a last-ditch effort to provide for his family.

Mr Ryan was stopped on the Pacific Motorway at Ewingsdale at 2.15am on January 16, 2021, for a breath and drug test.

He provided an expired Queensland driver’s licence but said it had been renewed and started looking through his glove box for the receipt, according to court facts.

Police checked Ryan’s licence and found it to be current, but also discovered he had drug matters in Victoria in 1998.

Police searched the vehicle and Ryan told them the boot was full of marijuana before they found 34.323kg of the drug.

Ryan said there was 70 pounds of it and he paid $200,000 to pick it up in Coffs Harbour.

Police found 36kg of marijuana in the boot of Mr Ryan’s car at Ewingsdale on the morning of January 16, 2021.

Ryan has end-stage renal failure, which is managed by dialysis and also has heart disease.

Court facts tendered in Tweed Heads show Ryan told police he put together his life savings to buy the marijuana as a “last throw of the dice” so he could sell it in Queensland and leave more money behind for his family.

Each of the 75 bags police found weighed 485g.

Ryan pleaded guilty in Lismore District Court on Friday to supplying a prohibited drug greater than the commercial quantity.

A back up charge of possess a prohibited drug will also be considered.

Noel Ryan, of Banyo, walks with his partner out of Lismore District Court

He was due to be sentenced but the prosecution and defence teams acknowledged there were “powerful” personal circumstances at play.

The court heard an intensive corrections order could not be suitable for Ryan given he was a Queensland resident.

Crown prosecutor Peter Woods said it was “difficult sentencing exercise” but acknowledged the prison system had facilities available to cope with Ryan’s health conditions if sent to jail.

Solicitor Sophie Anderson tendered a 35-page medical report detailing Ryan’s life expectancy at absolute best was three to five years.

She asked Judge Warwick Hunt if a house arrest sentence could be made or alternatively a sentence taking into account Ryan’s three days spent in custody.

“The fact corrective services are seen to be able to accommodate serious medical issues… What those cases did not have to grapple with was the extreme situation of the pandemic and what that means for an offender already so ill,” she said.

Police found bags of marijuana in Ryan’s car boot on January 16.

Judge Hunt said he could not see a way Ryan could go without jail, given the severity of the matter.

He decided to adjourn on the basis of three main principles, including awaiting further development on Ryan’s health, improvements in Covid-19 in custody and to see if Ryan could remain crime free in the community.

“Mr Ryan it is not lost on me you must be very tense being as ill as you are … but I don’t want you to go away with the impression you are not going to have to go to prison,” he said.

“I suspect the law will require me to have to do that.”

Judge Hunt labelled it an “extraordinary” case as he also varied bail to ensure Ryan did not leave his Banyo address except for medical treatment, essential needs or urgent compassionate reasons.

The matter was adjourned for sentence on March 7, 2021.

Originally published as Noel Ryan faced Lismore District Court for supplying a prohibited drug