Mark Thompson arrested on drugs charges

Former Essendon and Geelong coach Mark ‘Bomber’ Thompson has been granted bail after being arrested on drug trafficking charges.

Mark 'Bomber' Thompson leaves the Magistrates court after being charged and making bail. Picture: Alex Coppel

One of the AFL’s most celebrated coaches, Mark “Bomber” Thompson, has been charged with serious drug offences after police found a trafficable quantity of crystal meth and ecstasy at his Port Melbourne home.

Mr Thompson, 54, is appearing before the Melbourne Magistrates Court charged with two counts of trafficking ecstasy, one of trafficking methamphetamine, a count of possessing each drug and further counts of possessing LSD and a prescription drug without a prescription.

Police say some of the drugs were found in a small room protected by a keypad. Police allege only Thompson had access.

“It contained Geelong Cats memorabilia and the accused’s coin collection,” Const Bourke said.

“We believe that belongs to him.”

Thompson was granted bail on the condition of a $20,000 surety and that he surrender his passport, reside at his Port Melbourne address and report to police three times a week.

Police initially opposed bail on the grounds that Thompson had access to considerable funds and possibly, a yacht they believe is licensed in his name. They dropped their objections once Thompson’s lawyer, David Hallowes, explained that Thompson had strong ties to the community, family support and had already travelled to overseas and back since being interviewed by detectives.

Thompson, a premiership captain at Essendon, coached Geelong to its fabled 2007 flag, its first in 43 years. He coached the Cats to a second flag before an ill-fated return to his original club.

Thompson, like all of Essendon, was ensnared in the drug scandal that ravaged the club for several years.

He admitted his part in the management failures which contributed to the players being injected with unapproved and possibly, banned substances. He was fined $30,000, returned to coach the senior team during James Hird’s year of exile and then abruptly quit the club at the end of the 2014 season.

The Port Melbourne home belonging to Essendon legend Mark Thompson, which was raided by police. Picture: Aaron Francis

In recent years, Thompson has worked in the football media and according to Thompson, become heavily involved in trading bitcoin.

When Thompson’s apartment was raided this year by police he said the interest was solely in a flatmate who had recently moved in. That man, 28-year-old Thomas Windsor, appeared in a separate court hearing in Geelong on Monday.

Police told the Geelong hearing that Thompson’s DNA was recovered from a 33 gram package of methamphetamine found in Thompson’s bedroom.
With AAP