Hayden Gregory Catlin smuggled meth into Rockhampton prison

A desperate attempt to settle a jailhouse debt led a recently released man straight back to where he started after he was caught smuggling drugs into prison.

Capricornia Correctional Centre, Rockhampton prison, Rockhampton jail, Etna Creek prison

A young man who had racked up a debt in prison hatched a plan to pay it back when released, only to end up right back where he started.

Hayden Gregory Catlin, 24, had an eight-page criminal record before fronting the Supreme Court in Rockhampton for smuggling drugs into the Capricornia Correctional Centre about a year ago.

Justice Graeme Crow said Catlin owed a debt while he was incarcerated.

“A plan was hatched to clear the debt by bringing drugs back into prison,” he said.

Catlin was released on parole in June 2024 and within a week, obtained three containers of drugs thanks to the aid of others and supplied them to the prison, the court heard.

One held 2.5 grams of pure methamphetamine in 3.2 grams of substance, another had 3.3 grams of pure meth in 4.5 grams of substance and the third contained 59 suboxone strips.

He also took in 24 grams of tobacco.

Justice Crow said Catlin made admissions to having the items “secreted inside his body” when apprehended and he was taken to Rockhampton Hospital to have the packages located.

He said he found Catlin’s eight-page criminal record “deeply troubling” for being so long for someone his age.

It consists of convictions in many Mackay courts for property offences, wilful damage, serious assault, drugs and related offences, assault occasioning bodily harm, domestic violence, public nuisance, failing to appear, entering a dwelling and stealing.

Justice Crow said Catlin was raised by his father and grandmother until he was nine years old, with his father often in prison more so than not.

The court heard Catlin started consuming marijuana when he was 15 and meth when he was 17.

Justice Crow told Catlin that he was still young enough to turn his life around.

“There’s only one way you can do it – that’s getting away from drugs,” he said.

Catlin pleaded guilty to three counts of supplying dangerous drugs in a prison and one of taking or attempting to take a prohibited thing into a prison.

He was sentenced to 18 months prison with 142 days declared as time already served and immediate release on parole.