Nicho Hynes: Cronulla Sharks Dally M winner’s mum charged with heroin supply Central Coast NSW home

The mother of one of the NRL‘s best players is accused of being part of a narcotics supply operation in which a man packaging heroin died after inhaling the drug. 

Julie Hynes was allegedly in her one-bedroom home on the NSW Central Coast when 29-year-old Luke Murphy suffered a fatal overdose.

A call was made to Triple Zero but when paramedics arrived at the premises on Commonwealth Avenue at Blackwall on May 25, 2021, Mr Murphy had died. 

Hynes, whose 26-year-old son Nicho is the reigning Dally M medal winner and plays halfback for the Cronulla Sharks, faced trial in Gosford District Court on Monday. 

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The mother of NRL star Nicho Hynes is accused of taking part in a narcotics supply operation in which a man packaging heroin died after inhaling the drug. Julie Hynes is pictured protecting herself from the rain outside the District Court in Gosford on Monday

Julie Hynes, who has pleaded not guilty to one charge of knowingly taking part in the supply of a prohibited drug, is pictured with her son Nicho at last year’s Dally M Awards ceremony

The game’s player of the year joined the Sharks in 2022 after making his NRL debut for Melbourne Storm in front of his family in 2019.  

His 50-year-old mother, who accompanied him to last year’s Dally M Awards ceremony, has pleaded not guilty to one charge of knowingly taking part in the supply of a prohibited drug. 

A co-accused, 59-year-old Michael William Selvage, who was also allegedly in the house when Mr Murphy overdosed, has pleaded not guilty to the same charge. 

Hynes and Selvage sat in the dock as a jury was sworn in on Monday after Crown Prosecutor Peter Lowe gave a brief outline of the case against them both. 

Julie Hynes (above) was allegedly in her one-bedroom home on the NSW Central Coast when 29-year-old Luke Murphy suffered a fatal overdose after allegedly inhaling heroin

Michael William Selvage, 59, who was also allegedly in the house when Mr Murphy overdosed, has pleaded not guilty to knowingly taking part in the supply of a prohibited drug 

Mr Lowe told the court Hynes and Selvage were both long-term residents of the Central Coast.

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Luke Murphy (above) was dead when paramedics arrived at Hynes’s home

Hynes had been in Canberra in the days leading up to Mr Murphy’s death but was allegedly present in her ‘modest’ home at Blackwall in the early hours of May 25.

Mr Lowe said a hydraulic press weighing about 250kg had been set up in Hynes’s only bathroom and was being used to compact blocks of heroin.

According to the Crown, Mr Murphy – who had also grown up on the Central Coast – had ‘probably’ brought the heroin to the house. 

Before being pressed, the heroin was allegedly blended with a cutting agent such as glucose so that it could be doubled in size. 

Mr Lowe said Mr Murphy had been manually operating the press to repackage the heroin after it was cut and during that process he had been covered in ‘dust’, which was also found on the floor.

Nicho Hynes, the NRL’s player of the year for 2022 joined the Sharks last season after making his NRL debut for Melbourne Storm in front of his family including mother Julie in 2019 (above)

As a result, Mr Murphy had inhaled heroin and some of the drug might have been absorbed through his skin, Mr Lowe told jurors. 

Mr Murphy subsequently fell into ‘a state’ and a call was made to Triple Zero but he was dead when paramedics arrived.

Neither Hynes nor Selvage is accused of any offence in relation to the death of Mr Murphy. 

A jury of seven women and five men was empanelled then sent home ahead of the trial resumes before Judge David Wilson on Tuesday.