Borallon prison contractor Mark Joseph Galea in Ipswich Court for smuggling drugs for inmate
A Gold Coast-based prison trade instructor was paid $2000 by an inmate to smuggle drugs into Borallon jail, west of Ipswich, a court has heard.
Police & Courts
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A Borallon prison contractor who taught classes to inmates has faced court after one of them paid him to smuggle drugs into the jail.
Pimpama resident Mark Joseph Galea, 59, pleaded guilty on April 9 to one count of supplying schedule 2 dangerous drugs (buprenorphine) in a correctional facility.
The Ipswich District Court heard Galea had been contracted to run a Certificate 2 course in automotive underbody work for prisoners at Borallon Correctional Facility.
On May 9, 2023, he attempted to smuggle two packages containing 530 suboxone strips into the jail.
Crown prosecutor Alexi Quayle said Galea appeared nervous when he passed security that day and they asked to search his bag.
Galea agreed and was allowed to attend his workshop after security officers failed to find anything suspicious.
But he was later removed from the workshop and asked once again if there was anything he wished to declare.
The court heard Galea eventually admitted he was carrying the drugs, hidden inside two gloves, after security told him they would deploy detection dogs.
Ms Quayle said Galea told police he had been asked by an inmate to collect the package from the McDonald’s carpark in Coomera in exchange for $2000.
“He didn’t know what was in the package but he admitted he knew it was drugs of some sort,” Ms Quayle said.
Defence lawyer Joe Wicking said his client had no criminal history and was otherwise a “man of impeccable character”.
Galea donated his kidney to a family member in 2010 and had more recently been diagnosed with prostate cancer.
A psychologist’s report revealed Galea felt “pressure and intimidation” from the prisoners at the correctional facility.
Judge Benedict Power read out a portion of the report, explaining the prisoners had “convinced him” that the drugs would help them deter cravings.
“At the time he wasn’t in dire financial difficulty, but he told himself that an additional $2000 could alleviate some financial stress,” Judge Power quoted from the report.
Mr Wicking explained Galea had only recently returned to work at the time of the offending after prostate cancer went into remission.
Judge Power warned Galea his offending was “such a serious matter” that it would be well within range for him to serve actual time in custody.
“You were an employee, you brought in a very substantial amount of drugs for profit,” he said.
But Judge Power said he would wholly suspend the sentence after taking into account Galea’s otherwise good character.
He also accepted a psychologist’s report which suggested Galea’s prostate cancer diagnosis had a psychological impact contributing to his offending.
Galea was sentenced to 18 months’ jail, wholly suspended.
He was also fined $3000 and given six months to pay.
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