Justin Leigh Ryan: Albany man jailed for smuggling opioids into Albany Regional Prison via handshake

An Albany man who used “sleight of hand” to smuggle opioids into a maximum security prison and caused more than $2000 damage to a car bonnet upon his arrest, has been jailed. Justin Leigh Ryan appeared in Albany Magistrates Court via video link on Thursday for unlawfully supplying 23 units of buprenorphine to a sentenced prisoner, jeopardising the prison’s “good order” and property damage. The 47-year-old was visiting his partner’s family member at Albany Regional Prison on August 20 when he slipped a wrapped package the “size of a $2 coin” into the prisoner’s hand with a handshake. The package contained 23 strips of prescription buprenorphine or Subutex, a strong opioid medication used to treat pain and opioid addiction, wrapped in layers of plastic and latex. After the exchange was caught on CCTV, a security guard strip searched the prisoner and found the illegal substances in his underwear. Ryan was granted bail but arrested again on December 1 and remanded in custody for a string of property damage offences. He was charged with kicking in both his neighbour’s and his partner’s security screen doors and punching the bonnet of a Toyota Hilux causing $2100 damage in separate incidents across October, November and December. Ryan pleaded guilty to all charges during Thursday’s court proceedings. Aboriginal Legal Service lawyer Georgia Hereford said Ryan has schizophrenia and was feeling claustrophobic and let his paranoia ”get the better of him” on the days of the damage charges. In relation to the drug smuggling, Ms Hereford said Ryan, who is originally from Carnarvon, was trying to fit into the community and “be accepted” by his partner’s family and received no financial gain. “He suspected that the package contained ‘subbies’ but his partner’s family said that if he did this, they would look after him and accept him,” she said. Magistrate Erin O’Donnell rejected the reasoning of “wanting to fit in”. “It is a very serious offence to convey anything into a prison,” she said. “Introducing substances of that kind into a prison is very likely to jeopardise the security and good order of that prison. “I don’t accept your basis.” When Ryan interjected with “prisons are already full of drugs”, Ms O’Donnell said it didn’t mean he had to be “a part of the supply”. “You may be willing to accept that, but I’m not and neither is the community.” Ryan was sentenced to nine months jail, backdated to December 1 and is eligible for parole.