Minh Quach sentenced to a suspended jail term in the Adelaide Magistrates Court

A man – who had only been released from jail a month earlier – made a “huge mistake” by sending drugs to his jailed brother in the Mount Gambier prison.

A man who unsuccessfully tried to send his brother drugs in the Mount Gambier prison has been told by a magistrate to stay on track.

Minh Hoa Quach, 24, narrowly avoided further jail time in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Tuesday after he made the “poor decision” to send his brother prescription drugs.

A police prosecutor told the court an intelligence officer was inspecting envelopes at the Mount Gambier prison on April 23.

“Upon opening the envelope she located under the bottom flap seven full strips of what she believed to be Suboxone,” the police prosecutor said.

A further four strips were also located.

Minh Quach avoided jail in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Tuesday for delivering his brother suboxone to the Mount Gambier prison. Picture: Lucy Rutherford

“Inside the envelope was a card with a message written … at the bottom of the writing was a scribbled out name, Thien Quach,” the police prosecutor said.

The court heard Thien Quach was an inmate at the Mount Gambier prison and the cellmate of the person the envelope was addressed to.

“She then looked into the phone calls made and received by Thien Quach and noted that there were calls made between him and his brother, the defendant,” the police prosecutor said.

The court heard Thien spelt out his cellmate’s name in a phone call between him and Minh on April 17.

Minh Quach, of Medindie, pleaded guilty in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Tuesday to delivering a prohibited item to a prisoner.

The court heard he had been previously jailed for intentionally causing harm.

Andrew Ey, for Quach told the court the drug Suboxone is commonly used for opioid addiction and people who are coming off heroin.

“It is a commonly used drug in the prison system, obviously it is a serious matter,” he said.

Mr Ey told the court Quach was released on parole in March after serving 17-months jail, before breaching his parole by sending his brother the drugs.

The court heard Quach then remained in custody from April until November.

“He served a significant penalty for this very poor decision already,” he said.

The court heard Quach had found employment in the labour industry since being released.

Magistrate Koula Kossiavelos said she found good reasons to suspend any further jail time.

“You did in fact serve a term of imprisonment as a result of this huge mistake being made,” she said.

“You have to stay on track … and continue the good work that you started since your last release from prison.”

Ms Kossiavelos sentenced Quach to two months and 24 days jail.

She suspended it on a 18-month good behaviour bond of $500.