Nathan James Mitchell sentenced in court for supplying dangerous drugs

A prisoner at Rockhampton Watchhouse was caught trying to supply dangerous and restricted drugs and other items to an inmate. Read the full list of contraband he was busted with.

A prisoner at Rockhampton Watchhouse was caught trying to supply dangerous and restricted drugs and other items to an inmate, with more than 200 Suboxone strips found on his person.

Nathan James Mitchell, 37, pleaded guilty in the Rockhampton Supreme Court on February 15 to four counts of possessing dangerous drugs and one count each of supplying dangerous drugs, possessing restricted drugs and taking prohibited things into a corrective service facility.

Crown prosecutor Harriet Hall-Pearce submitted a schedule of facts to the court, which was read by Justice Graeme Crow.

Justice Crow said Mitchell was a prisoner at Rockhampton Watchhouse and drew the attention of officers when he started acting strangely on November 1, 2020.

Nathan James Mitchell, 37, appeared in the Rockhampton Supreme Court on February 15, 2022.

The officers burst into the cell and found Mitchell on the floor with two small packages at his feet.

He was restrained and taken to a padded cell where he told police, “You got me, you got me, I have nothing else on me, you have it all”.

One of the packages contained 21 smaller packages with 10 orange strips of buprenorphine (Suboxone) in each. There were a total of 210 strips.

Also in the package were hypodermic needles, one shortened needle, a mobile phone charger, mobile phone, three small packages containing SIM cards, two packages containing Allen keys, a small package containing 0.617g of diazepam, a small package containing 1g of Alprazolam, a clip seal bag containing 0.9g of methamphetamine, and two packages containing four orange strips.

The other package contained a handwritten note, four hypodermic needles and a number of other items, including Xanax.

Justice Crow said the handwritten note revealed Mitchell had engaged in the supply of drugs to another inmate.

Mitchell was represented in court by defence barrister Scott Moon.

Justice Crow said Mitchell had a very difficult childhood and turned to drugs.

He said Mitchell started using marijuana at 12 years old and progressed to injecting heroin at 21 years old and suffered a number of overdoses.

He said Mitchell planned to book into rehabilitation at Hervey Bay.

Mitchell was sentenced to 470 days prison with 470 days declared as time served and immediate release.