Former Olympic swimmer Scott Andrew Miller's unorthodox and lonely youth led him down the treacherous path to importing over $2 million worth of meth, a court has heard.
"That became a lonely and depressed adulthood, marred by substance abuse and depression," his lawyer Arjun Chabra told the NSW District Court on Thursday.
"The circumstances only seem to explain what led him down this treacherous path"
Miller, 45, has pleaded guilty to two counts of supplying a commercial quantity of a prohibited drug.
He was arrested in February, 2021 at his Sydney home after four kilos of crystal methamphetamine was found concealed in eight candles.
With each candle containing 500 grams of the drug, police estimate the total haul could have sold on the streets for more than $2 million.
The former Australian swimming star submitted two letters of apology detailing his mental health struggles and his unorthodox childhood at his sentencing hearing on Thursday.
"He missed out on school, on making friends, and the academic and emotional training one would expect to receive in teenage years was beyond his grasp," Mr Chabra said.
"He lived a life that was heavily regimented and geared towards competition. He was mismanaged and not treated and considered to be homesick."
At the time of offending, Miller was suffering from depression and anxiety, and was regularly using ice and heroin, the court heard.
His lawyers also pointed to the breakdown of his marriage to Charlotte Dawson, who took her own life in 2014.
Her body was found the morning after Miller's 39th birthday.
"Being a media personality he took blame for that and that was again brought into public limelight," Mr Chabra said.
"That public shaming and embarrassment has exacerbated his life today."
However, the Crown argues Miller's drug offences are only loosely connected to the downfall of his swimming career.
"It is very peripherally plausible to deliberately engage in the business of being a drug dealer some 20 years later," crown prosecutor David Scully said.
"It falls into the category of background material but has no significant effect on reducing the moral culpability of the offender."
The swimmer is in custody and is also facing one count of participating in a criminal group and one count of dealing with the proceeds of crime.
He is in custody and will be sentenced alongside his two co-accused Wayne Allan Johnson and Justin Szabolics.
Johnson, who is out on bail, is facing one charge of participating in a criminal group, two charges of possessing a prohibited drug, and one charge of taking part in the supply of a prohibited drug.
Szabolics is in custody and faces one charge of supplying a large commercial quantity of a prohibited drug and one charge of participating in a criminal group.
A fourth man Luke Mathew Peake was sentenced to a maximum term of imprisonment of two years and six months in March this year for his role in the drug syndicate. His 15-month non-parole period ended on May 13.
Police previously said the drugs, from Sydney, were bound for regional NSW.
Appearing via video link, Miller was emotional and teary during his lawyer's submissions.
He is due to be sentenced on November 10.
