Nemesis
03-17-2004, 05:09 PM
By Heather Low Choy
March 18, 2004
A RISDON Prison employee who stashed drugs in his underpants and tried to smuggle them into the maximum-security prison will not go to jail.
Phillip John Flassman, 42, was intercepted by police and prison security officers as he tried to take cannabis, amphetamines and steroids into Risdon Prison in January.
Flassman, of Rosetta, yesterday was sentenced to a wholly suspended three-month jail term after pleading guilty to unlawfully bringing unauthorised articles into a prison.
He also was sentenced to 112 hours of community service for four minor drug offences, to which he had pleaded guilty.
The Hobart Magistrates Court heard Flassman had been pressured by an inmate to bring drugs into the prison.
Magistrate Michael Hill said he had taken this into account when determining Flassman's sentence.
He said Flassman's history of drug misuse and mental health problems could have made him a target for pressure because he had seemed vulnerable.
Mr Hill commended Flassman for taking positive steps to address his health issues.
The court heard Flassman had voluntarily admitted himself to the Hobart Clinic.
Imprisoning Flassman would not assist him in dealing with his problems, Mr Hill said.
Flassman had been employed at the prison from December 2002 until his offences were detected.
Mr Hill said Flassman's loss of employment was a significant penalty.
The Mercury
http://www.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,8999751%255E26462,00.html
March 18, 2004
A RISDON Prison employee who stashed drugs in his underpants and tried to smuggle them into the maximum-security prison will not go to jail.
Phillip John Flassman, 42, was intercepted by police and prison security officers as he tried to take cannabis, amphetamines and steroids into Risdon Prison in January.
Flassman, of Rosetta, yesterday was sentenced to a wholly suspended three-month jail term after pleading guilty to unlawfully bringing unauthorised articles into a prison.
He also was sentenced to 112 hours of community service for four minor drug offences, to which he had pleaded guilty.
The Hobart Magistrates Court heard Flassman had been pressured by an inmate to bring drugs into the prison.
Magistrate Michael Hill said he had taken this into account when determining Flassman's sentence.
He said Flassman's history of drug misuse and mental health problems could have made him a target for pressure because he had seemed vulnerable.
Mr Hill commended Flassman for taking positive steps to address his health issues.
The court heard Flassman had voluntarily admitted himself to the Hobart Clinic.
Imprisoning Flassman would not assist him in dealing with his problems, Mr Hill said.
Flassman had been employed at the prison from December 2002 until his offences were detected.
Mr Hill said Flassman's loss of employment was a significant penalty.
The Mercury
http://www.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,8999751%255E26462,00.html