Jaimie-Lee Bernhardt, 25, and nursing student Lacey Jane Boudar, 19, attempted to bring 59 strips of suboxone into the Woodford Correctional Centre, north of Brisbane, in November last year but were busted when security guards uncovered their secret code.
Staff at the Sunshine Coast facility intercepted a phone conversation between Boudar and prisoner Ryan Colin Bell – a family friend – in which he told her to visit and ‘wrap her birthday present three times’, The Courier-Mail reported.Â
The ‘criminally stupid’ plot came undone on November 9 last year when Boudar picked up the latex-wrapped strips from Bernhardt and hid them in her mouth when entering the jail.
Already suspicious after listening in on the phone call, correctional officers immediately searched the pair.
But their defence team argued the young women were merely ‘lackeys’ for Bell and Bernhardt’s ex-partner, who both remain behind bars.
Lars Falcongree, barrister for Boudar, said she was ‘concerned’ for Bell and thought the drug was a ‘medicine’ that could help with his withdrawals.
‘She had no idea how it could be misused but obviously understood it was illegal,’ he said.
Judge Ian Dearden expressed little sympathy for the duo.
‘Each of you have been extraordinarily stupid, criminally stupid,’ he said.
‘This is serious conduct committed by two young women who should have taken at least five minutes to stop and think.
‘Other people can go to hell in a hand basket and that’s their decision. But by involving yourselves in this conduct, each of you were taking on that same risk for effectively no benefit.’
Boudar was sentenced to 18 months’ probation and Bernhardt, who has minor criminal history, was sentenced to three years’ probation.
No convictions were recorded.
Bell and Bernhardt’s ex-partner have not been charged.
