The court had no love to give for a Wodonga woman after she was caught smuggling methamphetamine and painkillers for her boyfriend at Junee Correctional Centre.
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Meagan Nicole Toohey, 28, was wanted for shoplifting at both Albury and Lavington when she was caught with the 2.09 grams of methamphetamine and six buprenorphine tablets concealed in her bra.
Documents tendered to the court state Toohey was recorded agreeing to bring the drugs in during telephone intercepts.
Magistrate Erin Kennedy told the court it was an extremely serious offence and a message needed to be sent to the wider community.
“Taking anything into a prison in an organised manner is very serious,” she said.
“This prison fights hard against drugs.”
Toohey was caught shoplifting a doona from Albury’s Harris Scarfe on June 19.
Less than a month later CCTV captured Toohey stealing clothing from Lavington’s Street Ski Surf store.
The offences were in breach of an existing good behaviour bond and two suspended sentences.
Ms Kennedy told Toohey it wasn’t too late to turn her life around.
“You are an intelligent woman – the only thing standing in your way is those drugs,” she said.
“Prevention is in your control but if you don’t commit to you are looking at life in and out of prison.
“That’s not fair to those children of yours.”
Solicitor Emily Winborne, who represented Toohey, said her client had spiraled out of control.
“She has been clean since she’s been in custody and wishes to turn her life around,” she said.
Ms Winborne asked Magistrate Erin Kennedy to consider a concurrent sentence to give Toohey a chance to rehabilitate when returning to the community.
Toohey was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment with a non-parole period of seven months.
She will be eligible for release on June 17 next year and be subject to a number of good behaviour bonds.