'Clearly given some thought to this': visitor tried to take contraband inside Kirkconnell

"IT requires some degree of planning, in my view." That was part of the Bathurst Local Court judge's comments as she sentenced a woman for attempting to bring tobacco and green vegetable matter into a correctional centre between Bathurst and Lithgow. The woman's solicitor told the court that her client felt some pressure and was trying to help someone because they asked her. But Judge Gemma Slack-Smith referred to communication between the woman and an inmate at the centre before the woman's visit to Kirkconnell and said "bringing prohibited substances into a place of detention is a serious matter". Clairissa Leigh Meyers, also listed in police documents as Clarissa Meyers, 35, of Cutler Street, West Bathurst, was in Bathurst Local Court on Wednesday, August 26, 2026 to be sentenced for bring, etc prohibited drug/plant into place of detention and unlawfully bring, etc anything into place of detention. Police documents before the court said Meyers arrived alone at Kirkconnell Correctional Centre at about 12.40pm on Saturday, February 14, 2026. She was searched, as was her vehicle, as per standing operating procedures when entering a correctional centre, according to the police documents. Meyers was also asked if there was anything on her person or within her vehicle that she wished to declare. The correctional centre K9 dog indicated on both her person and within her vehicle. The vehicle was searched and two balloons were found in the passenger seat rear pocket. The balloons were cut open and were found to contain Tally Ho papers, tobacco and cannabis mixed with tobacco, according to the police documents. There was 7.7 grams of tobacco and 2.48 grams of green vegetable matter, according to the police documents. Meyers was spoken to by correctional officers and denied any knowledge of the items found in her vehicle. A review of phone calls for one of the correctional centre's inmates just prior to Meyers attending identified a call between the inmate and Meyers. The inmate was talking in code, however, told Meyers not to attend as correctional officers were using a K9 dog to search all visitors and their vehicles, according to the police documents. Despite this warning, Meyers decided to attend her visit with the inmate anyway and left the contraband within her vehicle. Police went to Meyers' house on February 19, 2026, spoke with her and cautioned her. She told police that she had decided to give the contraband to the inmate on her own accord to try to "help him out", according to the police documents. She further said she thought it would be easier to get the contraband into the correctional centre given it was Kirkconnell and it was a low security prison. She said she had learnt from her lessons, according to the police documents. All interactions with Meyers on February 14 and 19 were recorded on body-worn video cameras. Legal Aid solicitor Kayana Theobald said she had a final report from the Magistrate's Early Referral Into Treatment (MERIT) program to tender. Her client had described the program as life-changing, Ms Theobald said. She said her client had reduced her cannabis use by half and now had strategies she could put in place. Her client felt embarrassed to be finding herself in court for these offences, Ms Theobald said. She said her client's instructions were that she was not under specific duress, but was in a relationship at the time that was quite controlling in nature, she felt some pressure and she was trying to help someone because they asked her. Her client suffers from depression, anxiety and PTSD, has experienced trauma in the past and has used marijuana as a coping strategy and crutch for most of her life, Ms Theobald said. In noting that Meyers told police she thought it would be easier to bring the contraband into Kirkconnell because it was a low security prison, Judge Slack-Smith said Meyers had "clearly given some thought to this offending". In referring to the communication between Meyers and the inmate in the police documents, Ms Slack-Smith said she didn't accept the submissions made on Meyers' behalf that she felt some pressure. Meyers had completed the MERIT program, Ms Slack-Smith said, but she said she didn't have any evidence of Meyers' mental health challenges including anxiety and PTSD. "Bringing prohibited substances into a place of detention is a serious matter," Ms Slack-Smith said. "It requires some degree of planning, in my view, in this matter." For bring, etc prohibited drug/plant into place of detention, Ms Slack-Smith convicted Meyers and imposed a Community Correction Order (used for crimes that do not warrant imprisonment or an Intensive Correction Order, but are too serious to be dealt with by a fine or lower level penalty) for 12 months. For unlawfully bring, etc anything into place of detention, Ms Slack-Smith convicted Meyers and fined her $1000. Meyers could pay off the fine by going to drug and alcohol counselling, Ms Slack-Smith said.