Prison officer sentenced for smuggling

File photo / Amos Chapple

A second Corrections officer has appeared in court in a week for smuggling goods into jail.

Steven Wilson, 31, Hamilton, was sentenced in Hamilton District Court yesterday after earlier pleading guilty to attempting to take a pair of shoes for an inmate into Waikato's Waikeria Prison, The Waikato Times reported.

His offending was discovered when he was stopped by police leaving the inmate's home with the footwear in October last year.

A gram of cannabis was found inside the shoes which Wilson denied knowing anything about.

Defence counsel Scott McKenna said Wilson had been diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome, a mild form of autism, and experienced difficulties in his dealings with other prison officers.

Prisoners would have identified he was "on the outer" with his colleagues.

Judge Peter Spiller acknowledged Wilson had already "paid a heavy price" for his actions and sentenced him to 80 hours' community work.

Rimutaka Prison guard Johan Clarke was last week jailed for two years and three months for smuggling drugs and other goods into prison in return for cash and other favours.

- NZPA