He knew he was facing a jail sentence for his role in aiding and abetting his mate, Fadi El Jamal, who attempted to import more than 3kg of methylamphetamine from Thailand in March 2016.

He'd already spent six months behind bars following his arrest in April.

When he was eventually granted bail by the NSW Supreme Court, Doherty went about setting himself up as the man he'd always aspired to be: he set up two successful businesses, met the woman of his dreams, bought a house and fathered a child.

He'd always known this day was coming, but he'd hoped beyond measure that the judge would take pity on him and believe his claim that his actions that fateful day had been those of an ignorant man who desperately wanted to impress a new friend.

He hoped Judge Andrew Haesler would see fit to allow him to serve his jail sentence in the community so he could keep his businesses afloat and provide for his family.

But those dreams were well and truly dashed on Friday when Judge Haesler sentenced Doherty to another two-and-a-half years behind bars.

The court heard El Jamal hired a man named Nathan Stanmore to collect a consignment of meth hidden in shower heads he'd imported from Thailand.

However, El Jamal didn't trust Stanmore, and organised for Doherty to accompany him to the pick up in Sydney and return the good to El Jamal's Calderwood home.

The two couriers set off at 7.30am on March 30. The events of the next 24 hours have gone on the cost Doherty the next two-and-a-half years of his life.

Unbeknownst to all involved, Thai police had already intercepted the drugs and removed them from the shipment before on-sending them to Australia with a friendly tip-off the the Australian Federal Police.

Federal officers were watching when Stanmore picked up the consignment from an address in Sussex Street in the Sydney CBD.

He and Doherty then drove in separate cars back to the Illawarra, ending up at the Albion Park Hotel, where they met El Jamal for lunch.

Police allegedly tracked the trio's movements for the rest of the day as they unpacked the consignment at El Jamal's house.

Later that evening the trio ended up in Wollongong and Stanmore checked into the Novotel. He was arrested in possession of the consignment boxes in the early hours of March 31.

Meanwhile, El Jamal and Doherty went to ground, not returning to their homes that night.

Doherty accompanied El Jamal to the airport the next day. El Jamal was trying to flee the country but was arrested at the Customs checkpoint.

Doherty was arrested on April 6.

In court on Friday, Judge Haesler said he couldn't accept Doherty's evidence that he was an "innocent dupe" and didn't know he was helping El Jamal commit a serious crime when he accompanied Stanmore that day.

"I'm prepared to accept on balance that Doherty was never told of the actual contents of the consignment - he didn't know because he deliberately didn't ask," Judge Haesler said.

"What Doherty did, he did deliberately. It was designed to assist in the commission of what he realised was a serious crime.

"The importance of low-level operatives to those higher in the operation has long been recognised.

"Without people such as the Stanmores and Dohertys, those who stand to make huge profits available from the criminalisation of drugs could not operate their syndicates.

"While a distinction must be drawn between those at the top and those who are used as underlings, anyone who involves themselves in such serious crimes must expect significant punishment."

Judge Haesler imposed an overall sentence of six years' jail, with a three years non-parole period.

With time served, Doherty will be released on parole in January 2022.