Prison guard Mitchell Vinton tells court he smuggled in drugs because he needed money
A prison guard who smuggled multiple kinds of drugs into a prison was struggling to pay child support and rent on his low income, a court has heard.
Police & Courts
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A corrections officer who smuggled drugs into a prison was doing it because he was “financially ruined”, a court has heard.
Mitchell Vinton, 39, can be named for the first time after an interim suppression order on his identity was lifted in the District Court on Tuesday.
Vinton previously pleaded guilty to three counts of trafficking in a controlled drug in October last year after being charged in July.
Vinton pleaded guilty to trafficking suboxone strips – a drug used to treat opioid dependence – methamphetamine and cocaine.
Defence lawyer Jane Powell, for Vinton, said her client was “financially ruined” at the time due to his wage of $1500 per fortnight.
“At the time he was financially in an extreme predicament and Your Honour can find that the crime was financially motivated,” she said.
“He says that at this time he was financially ruined, fortnightly he earned about $1500, an hourly rate of $32.
“His outgoings at the time were $330 a week to his ex-wife for child support and that included $40 of private health cover and he was paying $450 in rent.”
Ms Powell also submitted Vinton would be best suited to a sentence of home detention as he would be vulnerable in custody due to his previous position as a guard.
“It’s well recognised that serving sentences in protective custody are serving it in greater hardship, he will experience anxiety and stress at a greater degree,” she said.
“He’s also in a unique position where he will be out of favour of prisoners and correctional services officer and will undoubtedly find himself alone and friendless.”
Ms Powell also said her client was never aware of the contents of the drug packages dropped at his house before delivering them to prison.
Prosecutor Lisa Lakatos said the value of 325 suboxone strips within a correctional facility ranged from $32,500 to $162,500.
“In respect to the methamphetamine, 13.5g, 10.5g were pure, so about 72 per cent purity, the value ranges depending on the way it’s sold from anywhere as low as a $1900 up to about $6500, but that’s not taking into account the volatile nature of the value of those items in custody.
“The cocaine, the range is about $1000 to $1700.”
Ms Lakatos said the Director of Public Prosecution’s view is the appropriate sentence was one of imprisonment.
“My respectful submission is there are three key aspects to this offending that makes it extremely serious in nature,” she said.
“The first is the abuse of a position of trust and authority, the second is being purely motivated by profit and the third is trafficking three separate types of drugs … and taking the steps to introduce those into a prison setting.
“His conduct is even more serious when considered against the backdrop of his employment history which included working as a drug and alcohol support worker.
“(Someone close to him) says he struggles to consider the consequences of his actions and he goes blithely through life believing everything will be OK.”
Vinton will next appear in the District Court for sentencing in May.
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