Josiah Isaiah Simon Tapim in court for possessing Lyrica tablets

A young father of two who was recently jailed for his role in both a violent armed robbery and attempt to bring drugs, including methamphetamine, into Capricornia Correctional Centre was back in court after being caught red handed with Lyrica tablets.

Josiah Isaiah Simon Tapim.

A young father of two who was recently jailed for his role in both a violent armed robbery and attempt to bring drugs, including methamphetamine, into Capricornia Correctional Centre was back in court after being caught red handed with Lyrica tablets.

Josiah Isaiah Simon Tapim, 23, pleaded guilty in Rockhampton Magistrates Court on October 19 to one count each of possessing S4 medicine and taking, or attempting to take, a prohibited thing into a corrective services facility.

Police prosecutor Tiffany Moras said police attended an address in Kawana on August 2, 2022 and searched Tapim, who was at the address.

Ms Moras said during the pat down search, police found a blister packet containing two Lyrica (Pregabalin) tablets.

Tapim was sentenced to five years prison with parole eligibility on September 25, 2024 in the Rockhampton Supreme Court on October 4 for supplying dangerous drugs, robbery in company, two counts each of unlawful use of motor vehicles and stealing, and one count each of driving without a licence and possessing dangerous drugs.

Aleesha Maree Vassallo.

The court heard the taking, or attempting to take, a prohibited thing into a corrective services facility charge related to a syringe that was found in a parcel, which also contained 1.362g of meth and 75 buprenorphine strips, that Aleesha Maree Vassallo, 27, attempted to bring into Capricornia Correctional Centre on September 16, 2022 while having a contact visit with Tapim, who was incarcerated at the prison, and later put in her car after failing a routine drug scan.

Vassallo was also sentenced to two years prison, wholly suspended for two years, in the Rockhampton Supreme Court on October 4 for supplying dangerous drugs and other drug related charges.

Defence lawyer Myles Heath argued his client could be convicted and not further punished for the charges, given the five-year sentence in the Supreme Court earlier in the month.

Mr Heath said his client grew up in Mackay and lived transiently between friends and relatives as a young adult and ended up “socialising in a peer group where pro-criminal attitudes were normalised”.

He said once his client, a father of two, was released from custody he planned to accept an offer of employment as a painter.

Magistrate Philippa Beckinsale told Tapim he was at risk of being institutionalised.

“You have got to turn that around otherwise your children miss out,” she said.

Ms Beckinsale convicted and not further punished Tapim.

Criminal convictions were recorded and the Lyrica tablets and syringe were forfeited.