Tyler Ford, 27, former partner of SANFLW player Jessica Eichner in court for drug dealing

The ex-partner of an SANFLW player lived a “privileged life”, worked full time and had no reason to turn to street level cocaine dealing, a court has heard. So why did he?

Tyler Michael Ford lived a “fully functional life”, worked a full time job and had no reason to turn to street level cocaine dealing, except for fuelling his own habit, a court has heard. Picture: Facebook

The “privileged” former partner of an SANFLW player lived a “fully functional life”, worked a full time job and had no reason to turn to street level cocaine dealing, except for fuelling his own habit, a court has heard.

In the South Australian District Court on Monday morning, Tyler Michael Ford, 27, sat silently in the dock as his lawyer told the court he had “fallen into drug use” before he started trafficking cocaine.

Ford was charged alongside his partner Jessica May Eichner, 34 – a former North Adelaide Rooster.

Eichner played in the Roosters’ 2019 Grand Final loss to South Adelaide.

The pair pleaded guilty to drug trafficking charges.

Tyler Ford leaving court with a supporter after sentencing submissions for cocaine dealing. Picture: NewsWire / Tim Joy

Tyler Ford and Jessica Eichner were jointly charged. Picture: Facebook

The court heard 22g of cocaine, valued at up to $8800, was found under a sink in the couple’s home in October 2022.

Noah Redmond, for Ford, on Monday told the court his client’s “stable upbringing” and lack of more serious offending meant he was more likely to respond to rehab.

“Mr Ford has fallen into drug use which has led to an escalating level of trafficking but never rising above the street dealing level,” Mr Redmond said.

“Since his arrest, he has demonstrated he is on the path to rehabilitation. He has a lot of community support, as is evidence by 11 character references, and in my submission, while this calls for a period of imprisonment, we would ask Your Honour to suspend a period of imprisonment.”

Judge Emily Telfer heard Ford had been dealing in various quantities of the drug, including in “single grams and eight balls”.

“He was working at the time,” Judge Telfer said.

“He’s not an impoverished person whose life is in disarray and he’s turned to drugs, and the drug selling is supporting his drug use, because he’s got a job. He’s got a fully functional life, he’s just dealing a bit of cocaine on the side.

“He’s living a privileged life,” she said.

“That’s accepted yes, but it’s not that he’s living an extravagantly wealthy life. The cocaine dealing puts him perhaps slightly better off than he would be without it,” Mr Redmond said.

“He may be a person who is best equipped to lead the life he wants to live. Yes, he’s made a bad decision and that’s perhaps less explicable, but on the other hand he is more likely to return to being a productive member of society, and not fall into criminal behaviour again.”

Jessica Eichner is a former SANFLW player. Photo: Facebook

The duo will be sentenced in the coming months. Picture: Facebook

During Eichner’s sentencing submissions last month, the court heard she was assisting Ford with his drug enterprise because of alleged coercive control and “misguided desire” to secure his approval.

Joseph Henderson, for Eichner, pushed for a non-custodial sentence for his client, due to her limited role, remorse, and low risk of reoffending.

The court heard Eichner was not motivated by profit but received free cocaine from Ford, who she was no longer in a relationship with, in return for her role in the offending.

The northern suburbs duo pleaded guilty to drug trafficking.

A prosecutor pushed for immediate jail, due to the significant amount of drugs and the fact that the offending wasn’t isolated.

“The text messages indicate that Ms Eichner was an active participant in the organisation of sales and the dropping of cocaine to customers,” the prosecutor said.

Eichner will be sentenced next month, and Ford will be sentenced in April.

Originally published as Tyler Ford, 27, former partner of SANFLW player Jessica Eichner in court for drug dealing