Former West Coast rookie Ben Sharp has been sentenced to nine years jail following an ice-induced armed robbery in November, 2014.

Sharp, along with younger brother Christopher and friend Nathan, were armed with guns when they stole $287,000 from a cash carrier van in Sunbury, Victoria.

The Victorian County Court heard all three members involved in the incident had severe addictions to the drug ice, with Sharp going on to say senior players at the Eagles pressured him to take cocaine after being drafted by the club in 2014 at 18 years of age.

“You claimed it was part of the culture that existed at the football club at the time,” Judge Geoffrey Chettle said.

“You claim that senior members of the club required you to be in or out, either you used or you left. You chose the former.”

Chettle didn’t allow Sharp’s actions to be excused because of drug use, but did say it shed a little bit of light on his current situation.

“It does however give the court some understanding of how an intelligent and talented sportsperson from a hardworking family can find himself where you now sit,” he said.

Following Sharp’s three-year career at West Coast that saw him delisted in 2007 without playing an AFL game, he went back to Victoria and started playing VFL football for Werribee.

He broke his leg after two seasons with the Tigers, which saw his ice usage become intense.

As well as the armed robbery, Sharp was convicted for drug trafficking and will spend at least six years in jail before he is eligible for parole.