Emmett Sheard, charged with murder of Parklea prison inmate, jailed for Newcastle drug charges
A Newcastle man has been convicted and sentenced to jail for the supply and possession of meth, MDMA and heroin. He’ll also head to court in two days time after being charged with the murder of a fellow prison inmate.
Newcastle
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A Newcastle man, who was charged with the murder of Parklea prisoner Michael Black in April, has today been sentenced to a year in jail for drug offences.
Emmett Raymond Sheard, 28, was found guilty of supplying of 26.63 grams of methylamphetamine and the possession of MDMA and heroin on February 16 last year.
Police stopped a vehicle he was a passenger in on Glebe Rd at Adamstown and searched the vehicle to discover the drugs underneath his seat in a black and white shoulder bag.
Along with the drugs, scales were also found in the boot of the car, according to police facts.
In Newcastle Local Court on Tuesday Sheard’s solicitor Kath Cooper argued, despite her client’s DNA being found on the interior of the container where the drugs were located, he couldn’t be made responsible.
“There were numerous reports linking this vehicle to recent drug activity,” Ms Cooper said.
“It’s not his vehicle, the driver was on bail at the time.
“There’s nothing to link Mr Sheard to them, and no evidence to say how often he entered that vehicle.”
Police prosecutor Lyn Palywoda told the court Mr Sheard was on another very serious charge in prison and was in isolation at Goulburn jail as a result.
She said analysis of DNA swabs which found his fingerprints on the interior lid of the drug container assisted the prosecution greatly that he was “responsible for the drugs”.
Magistrate Stephen Olischlager agreed the DNA evidence was clear.
“It’s inherently unlikely someone would leave a container containing a substantial amount of drugs behind,” Magistrate Olischlager said.
“Presence of DNA and fingerprints is sufficient evidence they were in possession of Mr Sheard and the presence of scales for purpose to supply of others.”
He was sentenced to 12 months jail with a non-parole period of seven months and with time already in custody could be eligible for release in September.
He was also put on a two year community corrections order for property and traffic offences.
But Sheard who is already behind bars for other matters, is also facing a charge of murder and possession of an offensive weapon.
Police allege he fatally stabbed fellow inmate Michael Black multiple times in the common area of the Parklea Correctional Centre on April 21, when he was waiting to appear via video link at Wollongong Local Court.
Reports from inside the jail suggest Black was stabbed with a shiv, and that the alleged incident was not captured on CCTV.
He’ll front Parramatta Local Court on Thursday in relation to those charges.
Two other inmates were also charged in relation to Black’s death and are also before the courts.