South Coast inmate Julal Vural sentenced for smuggling drugs into jail

A jail inmate who arranged to smuggle drugs into a prison was a ‘street level dealer’ but also dealt ‘indictable’ quantities has been sentenced for multiple offences.

A South Coast Correctional Centre inmate who organised drugs to be smuggled in the jail to feed his habit will spend more time behind bars after a judge found he failed to have deep regret for reoffending in prison.

Julal Vural, 29, appeared at Parramatta District Court on Wednesday after he pleaded guilty to six charges including three drug charges.

Judge David Arnott convicted him and sentenced him to combined sentence eight years with a non-parole period that will make him eligible for release on July 18, 2025.

The court heard the father supplied more than 550g of heroin and methamphetamine worth over $167,000 multiple times between August and November 2019.

When he was locked up, the drug habit led him to become an integral part of what police allege was a crime ring involving three other inmates — Edward Nassr, Robert Sadek and Ahmad Alameddine — who are accused of paying a guard to smuggle in drugs to the Nowra prison last year.

The court heard that during March and April 2020, Vural did not bribe the guard but allegedly organised for his partner, Lesley Hawkins, to pass the drugs on to a man who then gave them to the prison guard.

The court papers show police alleged Vural called Hawkins and asked: “If I put three and a half ($3500) in your account, what could you get? We only need 1 and a B (8-ball).’’

Vural allegedly told Hawkins, 30, how to avoid fingerprint detection.

She has pleaded guilty to six charges of supplying a prohibited drug and pleaded guilty to participating in criminal group contribute criminal activity, and remains before the courts.

Vural organised for 41g of meth to get to the jail but the guard allegedly smuggled in 6.6g, with half intended for himself and half for another inmate, who was found with it in freezer bags in his buttocks.

Vural was arrested last May and, along with Nassr, Sadek and Alameddine, was charged after Corrective Services Investigation Unit detectives established Strike Force Draymar in March 2020 to investigate illegal activity by the guard, who cannot be named for legal reasons.

Police allege Nassr and Sadek offered to pay the guard almost $10,000 cash over two occasions between April 2019 and April 2020 as a reward for smuggling in contraband to the prison.

Court documents also allege Alameddine offered the same corrective services officer $5000 in cash on April 16.

In July, Nassr pleaded not guilty to two counts of corruptly give or offer agent a benefit and a single count of knowingly direct criminal group assist crime.

Sadek was charged with two counts of corruptly giving or offering an agent a benefit, two counts of use or possession of a mobile phone or part in place of detention and a single count of knowingly direct criminal group assist crime.

South Coast Correctional Centre inmate Julal Vural. Picture: Facebook

Alameddine and Sadek have not entered pleas and their matters remain before the courts.

On April 16, 2020, the guard’s home was searched and 131.9 of meth, 26.68g of bupe and 3.48g of heroin was allegedly uncovered.

On August 16, he allegedly entered the jail with a phone and charger in his buttocks.

At court this week, defence barrister Daniel Roff said Vural required special circumstances so he could rehabilitate.

“There’s definitely a need for rehabilitation,’’ he said.

“He’s relatively young, age, his mental health issues, substance abuse, his inclination towards negative peer influences.

“He’s acting in the direction of others.’’

Crown prosecutor Felicity Evans told the court Vural committed drug offences just a month into his intensive corrections order for separate offences.

“Not only that, once in custody the offender has continued to offend and the Crown would submit the prospects of rehabilitation are guarded at best, if not quite poor,’’ she said.

The Crown conceded Vural was young but had a long criminal history and was in jail for the second time, showing he had a “disobedience to the law”.

Vural pleaded guilty to six charges — two counts of ongoing supply of drugs, knowingly take part in the supply of prohibited drugs, possessing an unauthorised pistol, intentionally damaging property and intentionally destroying property.

Vural was also sentenced for his firearm offence after a gun was found when they raided the home he shared with Hawkins on the Great Western Highway at Westmead in November 2019.

Justice Arnott said he disagreed with the prosecution and defence that the firearm was not linked to the drug trafficking even though the gun was not loaded when police seized it.

The court heard Vural started supplementing his income through drug supply since he was 19, long after a home invasion in 2017 that left him with fractures to his spine. Vural used the home invasion as an excuse to keep a gun for self protection.

“At this time he was a serious drug dealer and a firearm is an accoutrement to a drug dealer,’’ Justice Arnott said.

“Firearms and pistols can be a serious great danger and damage. Here it is in connection with a criminal activity.

Julal Vural should receive ‘special circumstances’, his barrister told the court. Picture: Facebook

Vural’s mother and Hawkins supported him in court and told him “I love you’’ when he was taken away from the dock.

Vural was also sentenced for breaking into Blacktown Animal Holding Facility on November 11, 2019, when the balaclava-clad man retrieved his dog, Kai, after Cumberland Council seized the staffordshire terrier for attacking an 82-year-old man.
Vural’s DNA was found on a cigarette at the pound site.

The court heard Vural had a lengthy criminal history including being jailed for seven months in 2016 and 2017 for assault.

He was exposed to drugs and domestic violence from a young age when he was raised by a heroin-addicted mother and suffered PTSD and ADHD.

“He was raised in a household where his mother was a heroin addict and introduced him to the drug … and criminal associations,’’ Mr Roff said.

He said Vural had worked briefly and was now on the road to recovery.

“We’re not saying his prospects of rehabilitation are good or excellent … but with that partner (Hawkins) who has remained supportive, and who has family who’s supportive of her, your Honour will find his prospects will improve.’’

Justice Arnott found he showed remorse but not deep regret over his actions.

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