Former ABC presenter at a ‘crossroads’ after drug conviction: court

A former ABC presenter turned drug supplier has been told he is “at a crossroads” after escaping the possibility of life in prison.

Former ABC presenter Ashley Hall was sentenced on Friday for drug supply. Picture: ABC via NCA NewsWire

A former ABC presenter turned drug supplier who sold cocaine and MDMA to undercover police could be released from prison as early as next year after avoiding life behind bars.

Ashley Hall, 54, was sentenced on Friday to six years in prison after pleading guilty to five counts of supplying a prohibited drug, and knowingly dealing with the proceeds of crime.

Documents tendered to the court reveal the charges relate to the supply of 8kg of Butanediol, 816g of methamphetamine, 85.3g of GHB, 662g of ecstasy, and 78.5g of cocaine.

The drugs were supplied by Hall either during undercover police stings between November and December 2022 or were seized during raids on hotel rooms following his arrest.

A photo from the ABC website of Ashley Hall, who has been sentenced to an intensive corrections order after pleading guilty to drug supply charges. Picture: ABC via NCA NewsWire

Judge Penelope Hock described Hall before Downing Centre District Court as a “wholesale supplier” who would provide drugs to “retail suppliers” who would meet customers.

While Justice Hock told the court the offences were “extremely serious”, she found there were special circumstances and set the minimum parole period of three years.

Hall’s sentence will begin from his arrest in December 2022, meaning he will be eligible for parole next year. He faced a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.

Police made four controlled drug purchases from Hall in 2022 after the operative first introduced themselves as a supplier searching for a new “upline supplier”.

In the first meeting, police arranged to meet Hall at Redfern’s Little Evie cafe on November 1 where they purchased GBH and methamphetamine and paid Hall $2050.

Further controlled sales took place over the following weeks, with police handing over more than $25,000 in cash for GHB, methamphetamine, and cocaine.

Police swopped in on Hall following the fourth and final meeting, $87,820 and a cache of drugs consisting of 84.3g of GBL and 2.5kg of cannabis from his Ibis hotel room.

In sentence, Justice Hock noted the former executive producer of the flagship radio program AM had a “long and successful career” before spiralling into drug use.

Hall was also charged in 2021 for drug offences. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Bianca De Marchi

His descent, she told the court, began after he suffered abuse as a teen, turning to drugs including marijuana to “attempt to block out the memories”.

At 45, Hall began using ice which he quickly became addicted to and led to the break-up of his 18-year relationship. A subsequent on-again, off-again relationship was also “disastrous”.

By 2019, Hall found himself before the court on drug offences and despite narrowly avoiding conviction returned again in 2022 on offences of drug supply.

Hall was sentenced to a 12-month community corrections order after a three-month stint in custody which Justice Hock said “did not serve as a wakeup call”.

In sentencing, Justice Hock said Hall had been diagnosed with PTSD and other disorders, showed “reasonable insight” into his offending, and had engaged with narcotics anonymous.

Ultimately, Justice Hock said Hall was “very much at a crossroads”, but with the support of family and friends she erred on the side of extended supervision, not in custody.