A PRISON officer who smuggled mobile phones, cigarettes and frozen steaks into Cessnock Correctional Centre said he felt “pressured” and “groomed” by maximum security inmates who knew his phone number and called him from inside.
Beau David Martin, 30, was arrested in December after he was caught with a bag of drugs stashed away in his personal belongings at work.
But the drugs only scratched the surface of what the Bellbird man smuggled into jail.
According to a statement of facts, Martin told police he was approached by an inmate in the middle of last year who asked him to bring in items including food, toothbrushes and cologne.
He complied but was later approached by another inmate who asked for tobacco.
The facts state Martin initially resisted the new request but felt pressured into doing it.
Martin was later contacted on his mobile phone by an inmate, and had “no idea” how the prisoner got his personal number.
The inmate asked Martin to meet with his partner who supplied the tobacco to be brought into the prison.
The demands got heavier.
Martin admitted to bringing in tobacco, watches and deodorant on “several” occasions over the coming months.
The facts state he met with at least three partners of three separate inmates.
On one occasion, he was asked to smuggle in four mobile phones.
He received $500 in cash and took the contraband into the jail “by simply walking in with the devices in his pockets”.
Three phones, which were wrapped in black electrical tape, would be handed to the inmates inside their cells by Martin.
On December 9, an inmate asked Martin to bring him frozen steaks.
The inmate had the steak five days later.
On December 18, the 30-year-old was asked to smuggle in a Breville sandwich press and watches for another $500 payment.
He was arrested the same day after a drug detection dog sniffed out a bag of what Martin believed to be amphetamine in his belongings.
According to the facts, Martin admitted to police he smuggled in contraband at least 10 times and was paid no more than $2000.
He told detectives he felt “pressured” and “groomed” by “manipulative and intimidating” inmates, the facts state.
He felt there was no way he could get out of the situation, he said.
Martin – who was suspended from duties without pay – will be sentenced on May 4 after pleading guilty to two counts of agent corruptly receiving a benefit, two counts of unlawfully delivering items to an inmate and attempting to bring prohibited drugs into jail.
