Casey Perrin: Corrupt correctional officer escapes jail time after smuggling contraband into Wellington Correctional Centre

A female correctional officer who took cash for smuggling drugs and other items to inmates in the Wellington Correctional Centre has been sentenced. Find out what happened in court.

A female correctional officer who smuggled contraband and drugs to inmates in the Wellington Correctional Centre has narrowly escaped jail time.

Casey Perrin, 36, fronted Dubbo Local Court on Thursday with her mother, pleading guilty to four counts of being an agent who corruptly received a benefit during her time as a correctional officer.

According to documents tendered to Dubbo Local Court, NSW Police were made aware of Perrin’s involvement after the establishment of Strike Force Pinnacle in February 2019 to “monitor drug supply” by convicted drug syndicate boss Kyle Thompson.

“As part of this operation police monitored Thompson via various surveillance devices including telephone intercepts, controlled operations and physical surveillance,” documents reveal.

“After (Perrin) was introduced to Thompson the offender used her position as a Correctional Officer to introduce various types of contraband (drugs, tobacco and a phone) into the gaol.”

Between September to December in 2019, Perrin was asked by an unknown person to supply a small amount of tobacco to an inmate.

“(Perrin) was given the tobacco wrapped up in packing tape and placed into a pouch, (she) introduced the tobacco into the correctional centre by placing this pouch into her pants pocket,” agreed facts state.

“Once inside, she supplied this pouch to (an inmate).”

Perrin did this on two separate occasions, where she received $500 each time.

In October, Perrin “was given one balloon containing a small quantity of buprenorphine” which she “introduced into Wellington Correctional Centre” the next day with it hidden in her bra.

She received $200 upfront and $600 after the delivery was finalised.

The next month in November, Perrin was given three balloons containing “a small amount of buprenorphine” to be given to two inmates in exchange for $1000.

But Perrin said the balloons were stolen from her house, admitting that she was given a part-payment of $500 before they were taken.

On November 18, 2019, Perrin became aware that an inmate was offering $5000 for a mobile phone, and she contacted Thompson who supplied a mobile phone to be taken into the centre.

The inmate only paid her $1000, and Perrin “did not receive any money from Thompson”.

Three days later, Perrin’s partner at the time attended Thompson’s home where he gave 20 buprenorphine strips to be smuggled into the centre in exchange for $1500.

Between November 29 and December 9, Perrin delivered the strips into the centre with an inmate making “a phone call from the gaol which suggested he was in possession of the buprenorphine strips”.

Police attended Perrin’s home on February 4 where she agreed to participate in an electronically recorded interview.

Dubbo Local Court.

“During this recorded interview the offender admitted to using drugs but denied introducing prohibited drugs or contraband into the correctional centre,” court documents state.

Perrin was then arrested months later in July where she was taken to Wellington Police Station and entered into custody.

“The offender participated in an electronically recorded interview, during which the offender made admissions to the offences on the indictment,” the facts reveal.

“The admissions made during this interview are the sole source of evidence as to the benefit actually received by the offender.”

On Thursday, the court heard from defence barrister Rebecca Mitchell that Perrin was entitled to leniency due to her assistance during investigations, pointing towards the 36-year-old making full admissions to police.

“She has by and large given what the prosecution has needed,” Ms Mitchell said.

“She has identified a number of people involved in bringing contraband into the (Wellington Correctional Centre).”

Ms Mitchell continued her submissions, stating that Perrin has no prior criminal history and that her future employment prospects have been severely impacted as a result of this incident.

In attempting to explain her client’s actions, Ms Mitchell highlighted Perrin’s exposure to violence as a child where she has later struggled with mental health, most significantly anxiety and panic attacks which “disrupted her ability to finish school and hold employment”.

Ms Mitchell said as a result of self-medicating, Perrin started using ice in her 20s and in her role as a corrections officer she was exposed to people that were involved in that behaviour and “in some way taken advantage of”.

In her final submissions, Ms Mitchell raised that since Perrin’s arrest in 2020, she has had no further offending and that she has been referred to free drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs which she was unable to afford prior to this.

“My submission is that (a) community service order or an intensive corrections order would be an appropriate sentence,” Ms Mitchell said.

“These are matters that individually wouldn’t cross the section 5 threshold.”

Ms Hamilton admitted that while Perrin made admissions, it doesn’t necessarily mean she should be given a discount, saying although some of the items taken into the jail were legal in the general community, “they are very powerful items in custody”.

“(They have the) ability to communicate with others to continue to arrange their illicit businesses,” Ms Hamilton said.

“For a good reason they are banned.”

Ms Hamilton noted that the buprenorphine smuggled into the centre “is very valuable - someone who can bring this in has substantial power among inmates”.

“This defendant was trusted as an employee to not be (doing) this activity,” Ms Hamilton continued.

In sentencing Perrin, Ms Hamilton did take into account her struggles with mental health, that she was in an abusive relationship with her former partner and she was vulnerable because of her involvement in the drug scene.

Perrin was handed a 12-month term of imprisonment to be served by the way of an intensive corrections order in the community along with 100 hours of community service.

“As long as you comply with the conditions, that will be the end of that matter,” Ms Hamilton concluded.