Prisoner caught with dongle in his buttocks
A TOWNSVILLE prisoner who was found with a dongle hidden in his buttocks was streaming movies and music while incarcerated.
Robert Hayden Parke, 34, was a prisoner at the Townsville Correctional Centre low security men’s farm after being sentenced to five-and-a-half years’ jail for trafficking.
The Townsville Magistrates Court heard on May 18 last year prison officers were performing random cell checks at 7.30pm.
Parke was in a single occupied cell and the cell door was locked.
The court heard the prison officer open the door with a key and saw Parke jump out of bed and say he was heading to the toilet.
Police prosecutor John Moran told the court the officer was suspicious and asked Parke to “hand over what he had”.
Parke told the prison officer he had a USB stick and he had flushed it down the toilet.
Mr Moran told the court Parke was detained and was searched. “A removal of clothing search was carried out in the office and during this, a USB dongle fell out of the cheeks of the defendant’s backside,” he said.
“While this happened the defendant tried to crush it with his feet.”
Parke was questioned by police and he explained he accessed the internet through a SIM card inserted in the dongle and would watch movies and listen to music.
The court heard Parke would watch movies and listen to music on jail computers.
Parke pleaded guilty to one count of dealing with a prohibited thing.
Defence lawyer Phil Rennick told the court his client was a father of two and was supported in court by his wife of 11 years.
Mr Rennick said Parke had been complying with his parole conditions since he had been released from jail and presented the court with a letter from his parole officer.
Magistrate Ross Mack acknowledged a new sentence would activate a new parole eligibility date and could result in Parke being returned to custody. Mr Mack fined Parke $1000.
Convictions were recorded.