Aaron David Leigh Walker sentenced in Townsville District Court after foiled correctional facility drug smuggle

A prisoner’s $47k drug drop was foiled when his girlfriend was caught trying to sneak the drugs into the correctional centre by hiding the stash in her bra.

Aaron David Leigh Walker sentenced in Townsville District Court after foiled correctional facility drug smuggle

A prisoner who was one of many busted in a police operation that’s uncovered the supply of a cult drug in jail has fronted court after his drug drop failed.

Aaron David Leigh Walker appeared in Townsville District Court this week after he was caught supplying the drug Suboxone to himself in the Townsville Correctional Centre, and has been the second of 19 prisoners to be sentenced after they were caught smuggling the drug also known as ‘subbies’ into the jail.

Crown prosecutor Shannon Sutherland said the 34-year-old was serving a nine-month jail sentence for drug-related offending when he supplied the drugs to himself.

The court was told on September 24 in 2022 Walker snuck 60 strips of Suboxone into the prison for himself, at the street value of $250 per strip.

He further attempted to supply himself with the drug on October 3 that same year, however failed due to no stock being available.

Ms Sutherland said during the third offence the man attempted to smuggle 159 strips, which equalled to $47,700 street value, into the facility however the plan fell apart when his girlfriend, Maddison Paige Manson, who had snuck the drugs into her bra was searched by police.

A Queensland Police spokesperson said Mason was charged with one count each of supplying and possessing drugs in relation to the drug drop attempt.

She pleaded guilty to the set of charges on December 15 last year in Townsville District Court and is expected to be sentenced on March 11.

Judge William Everson when reflecting on Walker’s criminal history, noted he had spent almost nine years total in prison.

“He’s had a truly tragic upbringing from appalling parenting,” Judge Everson said.

He told the court Walker was raised by two “drug-addicted parents” with his father being in and out of jail.

“I hope for his sake he’s not just counting down the days until he gets out and has more meth, since that’s what’s happened in the past,” the judge said.

Defence barrister Harvey Walters noted the man’s family sitting in the back of the courtroom and said he had finished completing up to a year 10 education while in prison among other mental health programs.

He also submitted an apology letter to the court hand-written by Walker.

The man pleaded guilty to three counts of supplying dangerous drugs within a correctional facility.

He was sentenced to three and a half years jail.

Judge Everson declared the 212 days Walker spent in pre-sentence custody as time served and set a parole eligibility date to July 31, 2024.

Originally published as Aaron David Leigh Walker sentenced in Townsville District Court after foiled correctional facility drug smuggle