A Bundalong man who pleaded guilty to drug trafficking is looking for a more lenient sentence when it is announced in the new year.

Hayden Ellis, 39, faced Melbourne County Court on Monday where a psychology report was submitted to the court.

Defence counsel Phillip Teo said the report had substance to reduce Ellis’ liability for the crime and reduce his sentence.

The court heard Ellis had a difficult upbringing which involved domestic violence, was a repeated methylamphetamine user and had ongoing anxiety for his safety in prison due to ongoing symptoms of Guillain Barre syndrome, which nearly took Ellis’ life in 2013.

He has been in custody for 481 days after police found 226g of methylamphetamine in his home on 7 August last year and charged him with drug trafficking and possession.

Small amounts of cannabis, MDMA, codeine and an envelope with $6900 cash, two stolen bank cards and glass pipes were also seized from the house.

His seven-year-old son was living with him at the time along with his ex-partner.

The drug bust came after an extensive police investigation into drug trafficking and gun possession which involved the arrest of three others, Ellis’ ex-partner, a 21-year-old Yarrawonga man and a 24-year-old Yarrawonga man.

The 36-year-old woman was sentenced to 62 days jail and an 18-month community corrections order for drug possession and failure to comply with police.

The 21-year-old was sentenced to 200 hours of community work for drug trafficking and helping hide a double barrel shotgun, which was found in the 24-year-old’s father’s home.

Ellis pleaded guilty in court in September, where it heard he had relapsed into drugs at the time of the offending when he started spending time with his ex-partner, the 36-year-old woman.

Ellis’ father was applying for custody of his grandson and would accept Ellis back into his home upon release.

Judge Pardeep Tiwana remanded Ellis in custody for sentence on 29 January next year.

Judge Tiwana said his ruling would involve a jail term with a non-parole period.