Prison smugglers: pair avoid conviction after bringing in ice, pepper spray to Victorian jails
A woman who was caught trying to bring pepper spray into a Victorian jail claimed she “forgot” she had it. She was one of two women to front court this week for bringing illegal contraband behind prison walls.
North West
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Two women have been caught bringing drugs and a weapon into Victorian prisons during separate and unrelated incidents.
Kaylee Phillips and Billie-Jean Garrity both fronted Sunshine Magistrates’ Court on February 18 for unrelated matters.
Phillips, 20, pleaded guilty to drug possession after she smuggled six grams of ice into Ravenhall Correctional Centre on July 31 last year.
Phillips and mystery woman “Tanya George” were scanned for drugs after they entered the prison.
Custody officers directed Phillips to a screening room after she returned a positive test for ice.
She ditched a concealed “white balloon” of ice while she was led to the room.
It wasn’t until Phillips left the room that guards discovered the balloon.
CCTV footage confirmed Phillips had thrown the drugs on the floor.
The court heard Ms George told Phillips to carry the drugs into the prison.
It’s understood the pair were there to visit Ms George’s jailbird boyfriend.
“So she was told to give (the ice) to this Tanya George character … she was set-up,” Magistrate Gregory Robinson said.
Phillips’ counsel said her client has “been very stupid in doing this”.
It was also conceded Phillips had committed a “fairly serious first offence”.
Phillips – who has “social anxiety” – had only recently met Ms George.
The two women are no longer friends, the court heard.
Magistrate Robinson accepted Phillips’ social anxiety had played a role in her offence.
“I don’t think the signal should be sent that everyone gets one chance to take drugs and not get a conviction … but it seems appropriate here,” he said.
“Taking drugs into prison is not something that will improve your mood (social anxiety).
“Most people are in prison because of that drug and bringing that drug in only aggravates the situation.”
Phillips was given a 12-month good behaviour bond without conviction and ordered to donate $1000.
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Garrity, from St Kilda East, also escaped a conviction after she brought pepper spray into a Victorian prison.
She told the court that she hadn’t tried to “smuggle” the can in.
Garrity claimed she had the pepper spray for protection but forgot she had it.
She was given a six-month good behaviour bond and ordered to donate $500.