Kain William Hugh Evans pleaded guilty to possessing dangerous drugs

A prisoner at a Queensland jail was on the verge of a major drug win, but an awkward hug would prove to be his undoing.

Trying to bring restricted drugs into Maryborough Correctional Centre went awry for a prisoner when guards became suspicious of a hug with a visitor.

Kain William Hugh Evans, 27, pleaded guilty in Maryborough District Court to possession of a dangerous drug.

The court heard Evans was given a package of buprenorphine by his alleged co-offender when she visited him at the prison.

The woman handed him a package of 50 strips of the restricted drugs, an opioid generally prescribed as a replacement in the treatment of heroin addiction.

The court heard the drugs were worth $1000 a strip within the jail, giving them a total value of $50,000.

However, the drugs were not being brought into the prison for commercial reasons, the court was told, but were for Evans’ “personal use”.

Evans hugged the woman during the visit, but their behaviour, as she tried to hand him the drugs which were wrapped in cling wrap, aroused suspicion.

Kain William Hugh Evans, 27, pleaded guilty to possession of a dangerous drug when he faced Maryborough District Court.

The drugs were discovered after a guard approached the two then struggled with Evans over the package.

Evans had battled an ongoing drug addiction, the court was told, stemming from when he was about 15.

The drugs were to be used to address his own drug dependence, not to be sold within the prison.

While in jail, the father of one had done courses to address those issues and to enable him to find employment once he was released, the court was told.

Judge Michael Burnett said Evans had an extensive criminal history.

Drugs had been a major issue for him and Evans had a disadvantaged background with little education, Judge Burnett said.

He had become eligible for parole in October last year, but the fresh offence meant he had remained in custody.

Judge Burnett said the offending was concerning as drugs were considered a currency in prison.

But he accepted it was not alleged the drugs were for commercial purposes, despite the “extraordinary” amount.

Evans was sentenced to 12 months in jail which must be served on top of his current sentence.

He was allowed immediate parole eligibility.