Covert police tapes, a parking ticket and a drug stash would later lead to the arrest of Thompson and expose the ice habit he'd fallen into after walking away from his football career, broken-hearted by his association with the Essendon drugs scandal. On Thursday, the premiership coach left the Melbourne Magistrates Court a convicted criminal, 18 months after police found 481 ecstasy pills and large quantities of ice in his home. Mark "Bomber" Thompson oustide court on Thursday. Credit:AAP While he escaped the more serious charges of drug trafficking, he was found guilty of drug possession. During his case, he painted himself as a victim: that Windsor forced his way into his life.

Evidence regarding Holt's visit was not put before the court. Holt, the drug operation's intended target, was seen arriving at the Rouse Street home with Windsor in late 2017. All the while, police were listening. The investigation In September 2017, detectives working out of Geelong Police Station launched Operation Piolets. They had received intelligence that Holt was trafficking drugs.

Acting Detective Sergeant Naomi Bourke told the court last month that police had warrants for phone taps. On them they had heard Holt calling Thompson's phone to track down Windsor. By year's end, detectives had built a case against the tattooed twosome. At 7.20pm on January 7, 2018, they surrounded Holt’s Mercedes on the side of the Princes Highway in Corio. They executed simultaneous warrants the following morning on Holt’s Lara home, arresting Windsor, who was waiting inside. There, parked in the driveway, was an orange Toyota Corolla rental. Inside, was a parking ticket from Rouse Street. A check with Budget car rental found Thompson had been paying the account for the car. Mark Thompson's Port Melbourne house during a raid in January 2018. Credit:Seven News

At the same time, detectives from the Prahran divisional response unit smashed their way into Thompson's Port Melbourne warehouse. “There was no one present at the time of the execution and we forced entry to the premises,” Acting Sergeant Bourke told the court. Inside a room off Thompson's bedroom, with its own keypad lock, police discovered illicit drugs stashed alongside Cats memorabilia and health supplements. In a plastic bottle were 481 ecstasy tablets weighing 134.6 grams and in a shoebox nearby were four ice pipes, digital scales, and an array of clear resealable bags. Atop the fridge, inside a first aid box, were handwritten notes that referred to large sums of money. Amounts of up to $115,000 were scrawled alongside the names "Bomb" and "Tatts", which police later alleged was proof of drug peddling.

On an upstairs mezzanine level and inside a magnetic box police also found 33.1 grams of ice, an LSD tab and Xanax tablets. In another room occupied by Windsor, police discovered white crystals, brown granules and items suspected of being used to manufacture drugs. Convicted drug trafficker Thomas Windsor, who lived with Bomber Thompson. Credit:Justin McManus “We immediately left the room and called the clandestine lab unit,” Acting Sergeant Bourke told the court. The court case

Thompson appeared both awkward and jocular during his time in the witness box at the state's busiest magistrates court. At times, it was reminiscent of his behaviour as coach of Geelong and Essendon, where he would give entertaining and eccentric post-match press conferences. Despite his odd relationship with the media, Thompson had huge success as a coach, leading Geelong to two premierships. But it was his rambling speech at Essendon's 2014 best and fairest count which fuelled rumours that something else was going on. Within days of that address he would leave the game. Mark Thompson with James Hird and Jobe Watson in 2012. Credit:Sebastian Costanzo

Five years later, in June 2019, Thompson stood in front of his two adult children and parents in a blue suit, and detailed how his life had crumbled after the end of his career in football. There, in the witness box, he admitted to being an ice user, even using the scales in his home to weigh up his buys to ensure he wasn’t being ripped off. “I’m a drug taker, I’m sad I’m a drug taker,” Thompson told the court. At all times, though, Thompson argued he was no drug dealer. Instead he claimed he was just desperate for company when he first let Windsor into his life. Karl Holt in 2013.

In September last year, Windsor, 29, pleaded guilty to trafficking a drug of dependence and possessing equipment for trafficking, notably acetone. The former Catholic school boy was sentenced to 169 days of time already served. He walked free from court with an 18-month community corrections order. In May, Holt, 31, was sentenced in the County Court to two-and-a-half years' jail after pleading guilty to trafficking a commercial quantity of drugs, using false documents, trafficking a drug of dependence, possessing a prohibited weapon and possessing the proceeds of crime. On Thursday, Thompson walked from court with a conviction, a 12 month community corrections order and $3500 fine.