St Paul’s rehab scandal: Steven Sioulas sentenced for ‘drugs for bail’ conspiracy
A former Strathmore drug counsellor was paid meth – which he then gave to a woman for sex – in exchange for helping a drug dealer get out of jail.
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A drug dealer was granted bail after dodgy reports and drug tests exchanged for cocaine and meth were used to mislead a magistrate, a court has heard.
Steven Sioulas gave former court approved St Paul’s drug rehab centre counsellor Anthony Dieni drugs as “payment” for keeping him out of prison.
Dieni sourced the drugs from Sioulas for underhanded “assistance” which included false reports and dodgy drug tests.
Sioulas was granted bail by a magistrate who was handed the bogus materials in July 2017.
Part of the bail condition was for Sioulas to “to engage with Mr Dieni for drug use”.
Sioulas had his bail extended at an August hearing after a magistrate heard evidence Dieni was “very happy” with Sioulas for returning “six clean tests”.
Sioulas dealt coke and meth to Dieni who then moved it to others including his grandson, and a woman between July and September 2017.
Dieni gave the woman meth in return for sex, the court heard.
Many of the drug deals occurred at the St Paul’s Strathmore clinic.
The scandal was uncovered by Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission investigators using phone-taps and surveillance.
IBAC Investigators recorded Dieni discussing drug deals on the phone with Sioulas.
The pair would use codewords and nicknames such as the “dirt” for cocaine and “the Dentist” for another drug dealer.
They also discussed “strategy” on how to keep Sioulas out of jail.
Dieni told Sioulas they needed to come up with a new strategy because he didn’t want the St Paul’s board to think he “was putting money in his own pockets”.
Dieni became agitated after Sioulas said an upcoming drug transaction would be delayed.
Sioulas then abandoned a drug drop at the Strathmore clinic on September 12 after he learned Dieni had been arrested.
Sioulas was nabbed at a Bentleigh East car wash with meth, ecstasy and more than $3000 cash last September.
He later said Dieni told him how to pass “p*** tests”.
Sioulas, 52, was sentenced at the County Court on February 6 to nine months’ jail after pleading guilty to drug trafficking and perverting the course of justice.
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Judge Michael Cahill said he was satisfied Dieni “orchestrated the deception”.
Dieni – charged with several offences including six counts of attempt to pervert the course of justice and drug trafficking – will face a plea hearing at the County Court on April 6.
Sioulas – who had served 150 days in custody at the time of sentencing – will commence a two-year community correction order when released.