Anthony William Butler got girlfriend to drop drugs at Rockhampton Hospital

The cheeky way drugs and other supplies were smuggled to a prisoner via a local hospital has been revealed during the sentencing of one of the culprits.

Rockhampton Hospital

New insight into a prison drug drop via a local hospital has been revealed during the sentencing of a convicted arsonist and methamphetamines user.

Anthony William Butler, 29, was remanded in Capricornia Correctional Centre at Etna Creek, north of Rockhampton, in June 2022 when he instructed Tiarne Carmen Peta Fermor, 25, to supply him with needles, buprenorphine and tobacco, Rockhampton District Court heard on March 6, 2024.

Fermor pleaded guilty in June last year to two counts of supplying a dangerous drug to a prisoner and was sentenced to 12 months’ jail, wholly suspended for an operational period of two years

The court heard she made two drug drops to the Rockhampton Hospital after being told to leave the parcels in a toilet before another Capricornia Correctional Centre prisoner was “tasked” to pick up them up.

Tiarne Carmen Peta Fermor.

Crown prosecutor Caleb Theunissen on March 6 told the court that the pick-up prisoner, a third person, had repeatedly punched a phone to injure his wrist so he would be taken to the hospital where he could get the parcel.

Judge Michael Burnett said the trio’s crimes were discovered when investigators became aware of what was going on and searched the toilet at the hospital that prisoners used when taken to the emergency department after the second parcel (the first having made it back to the jail) was left in the agreed location.

He said police found drugs packaged and concealed in the rim of the toilet bowl.

Mr Theunissen said Butler’s criminal record included convictions for arson, possessing restricted drugs, violence and property offences.

Defence barrister Sheridan Shaw said Butler, who started using marijuana when he was 13 and ecstasy at 15 before moving on to meth, was released from prison in November 2023 and has been clean of drugs and distanced himself from drug associates while working full time.

She said this was the longest period he had gone without using drugs and he was working through his trauma with the hopes of regaining contact with his son.

Butler pleaded guilty on March 6 to two counts of drug supply in a prison and one of possessing prohibited items in a prison.

He was sentenced to 15 months prison, wholly suspended with an operational period of three years.