Ray Hadley's son to request drugs charges be dropped on mental illness grounds

Ray Hadley’s son will ask a Magistrate to dismiss his drug possession charge on the grounds of mental illness.

Daniel Hadley, 28, did not appear in person today, but was represented by a lawyer almost two months after he was allegedly spotted purchasing cocaine in the carpark of the Australian Hotel in Rouse Hill.

During the brief mention in Parramatta Local Court a question was asked about why there was “so much media interest” in the case.

Hadley’s lawyer explained it was because of his father, to which Magistrate Brett Shields replied, “oh the radio guy”.

The radio broadcaster broke down when he spoke to the media after his son was charged.

He said he missed the signs the Senior Constable was struggling with his mental health and had been admitted to a clinic for treatment.

“When I was first told I was both angry and perplexed, I had no idea my son, a respected police officer, would be involved in such a matter," Ray Hadley said.

But he said that anger quickly turned to “shock and sadness.”

“My son revealed to me he's been having mental health issues for some time. He was also injured at work some time ago. My son had been seeing his GP about these issues without my knowledge.”

“I feel particularly inadequate as a father and a spokesman for R U OK Day when in fact my son is not OK.”

Daniel Hadley resigned from the Police Force a month ago. He is expected to make the trip to court in December for the mental health hearing.

The man who allegedly supplied the drug was also in court but did not enter a plea.