A sinister plot to smuggle drugs, including methamphetamine, into a Central Queensland jail came crashing down after corrections officers reviewed phone calls. See the transcripts.
Caytlin Rose A’herne, 32, and Raymond Shane Deller, 30, both pleaded guilty in the Rockhampton Supreme Court on May 23 to two counts of supplying dangerous drugs to a person within a correctional facility.
A’herne also pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing utensils or pipes for use, and one count each of possessing anything used in the commission of a crime defined in Part 2 and possessing utensils or pipes that had been used.
Crown prosecutor Jodi Brown said suspicions arose when a prisoner suffered an injury to his hand at Capricornia Correctional Centre on March 25, 2022.
Raymond Shane Deller.
An inmate in Deller’s yard attended the officer’s station just before 12.20pm and stated his hand was jammed in the kitchen door, which required him to be transported to Rockhampton Hospital.
Deller called A’Herne and told her the “eagle had left the nest”.
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The court heard Deller had a 17-page criminal record and was serving a four-year term of imprisonment after being sentenced in Gladstone District Court on July 29, 2022 for the kidnapping and extortion of a person.
Ms Brown said staff at Capricornia Correctional Centre reviewed phone conversations between A’Herne, Deller and a co-accused, who cannot be named, who allegedly discussed the supply of suboxone and meth to a prisoner.
The unnamed man was charged with eight alleged offences on March 25, including supplying and possessing dangerous drugs, taking or attempting to take a prohibited thing into a corrective services facility, possessing a utensil or pipes that had been used, and obstructing a police officer.
It is unclear if has entered a plea for his charges.
Capricornia Correctional Centre.
“Deller and A’Herne discussed splitting everything down the middle,” Ms Brown said.
She said Deller procured the supply and made the arrangements while A’Herne did the leg work, collecting and packaging the drugs and driving the co-accused to the hospital.
Police were notified and intercepted A’Herne and the co-accused at the hospital.
Police found A’Herne waiting in a vehicle in the car park and, during a search of her car, found a glass pipe.
Rockhampton Hospital.
Police found the co-accused, at the radiology department in the hospital and he was arrested.
Ms Brown said he was searched by police, who allegedly found a small package concealed on him containing 0.216g of a substance containing meth, 15 suboxone films, tobacco and two syringes.
Police searched A’Herne’s home on April 1, 2022 and found a mobile phone containing messages allegedly received from the co-accused on March 25, 2022.
The court heard A’Herne had a four page criminal history, which included a prior conviction for supplying meth.
Caytlin Rose A’herne.
Defence barrister Scott Moon said his client, A’Herne, was affected by drugs at the time.
Mr Moon said his client wanted to change and was “extremely remorseful for her behaviour”.
Defence barrister Julie Marsden said her client, Deller, was a drug user and wanted the drugs for his own personal use.
Ms Marsden said her client had completed a number of courses and certificates while in prison and was trying to deal with his drug addiction.
Justice Graeme Crow sentenced A’Herne to two years’ prison, with parole release after serving 159 days, which was pre-sentence custody declared as time already served.
Justice Crow sentenced Deller to 18 months’ prison, cumulative on the sentence he was already serving, and parole eligibility on September 22.