Police allegedly discovered 0.43g of methamphetamine tucked inside the bra Dean Laidley was wearing when he was arrested for stalking earlier this month, a court has heard.
Laidley, who played 151 AFL games, has been granted bail following a week behind bars. The former North Melbourne coach is believed to have had a financial dispute with a woman, which led to him stalking her.
Police claimed Laidley phoned the woman 43 times on May 2 and allegedly contacted the body corporate of her place of residence in an attempt to obtain CCTV footage of her. It's also alleged he verbally abused the woman, calling her a ''s---'' and a ''c---'', while at one point saying, ''I am going to ram you with the car when you leave.''
On Monday, Laidley's barrister Phil Dunn QC fronted the Magistrate's Court in Melbourne where his client was granted release into the care of a 24-hour rehabilitation clinic in Geelong, where he would receive treatment for various health issues including gender dysphoria and substance abuse.
"He's not a bad man. He is just a man who has lost his way," Dunn said of Laidley. "He needs help and he's prepared to accept this help."
Several high-profile AFL figures, including former coaches Denis Pagan, Guy McKenna and Mark Williams, had written character references for Laidley, as had former North Melbourne players Wayne Schwass and Brent Harvey and the club's former chairman, James Brayshaw.
The AFL Players Association will fund Laidley's care at the Geelong facility. He will have no access to a phone or computer during his rehabilitation and will be drug tested twice per week.
Four Victorian police officers have already been stood down following the circulation of photographs which showed Laidley wearing a blonde wig and make-up at a police station.