Rochester’s Tracie Ann Badcock, 47, appeared in Echuca Magistrates Court on Wednesday pleading guilty to misconduct in public office and bribery of a public official.
The court heard between December 22, 2017 and January 1, 2018, Badcock received seven payments totalling $2358 to smuggle tobacco products into the minimum security prison for four inmates.
This comes after 2014 changes to the Corrections Act 1986 (VIC) prohibited the smoking, use and possession of tobacco products in prison.
Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission lawyer Tom Warne-Smith said Badcock’s offending was discovered after an ongoing investigation into contraband items in the prison uncovered her dealings with inmates.
A search warrant of Badcock’s residence on January 31, 2018, revealed receipts for the payments and handwritten notes in the accused’s diary and car outlining the names and telephone details of prisoners and their associates.
Police also found notes with prisoners’ requests for tobacco and instructions to Badcock on how to receive payments and where to hide tobacco in the prison grounds.
A number of hand-written letters between her and a male prisoner were also located in her bedroom, describing physical contact between the two and indicating Badcock was seeking an ‘‘intimate’’ relationship with him.
A discussion on Facebook messenger with an associate further revealed her pursuit of the relationship.
‘‘Badcock described prisoners as ‘eye candy’ and made admissions about her relationship with the male prisoner,” Mr Warne-Smith said.
‘‘She said ‘I have something going already... I seem to really like this one... I don’t like to follow orders lol... you’re the first person I have told about [the prisoner] and I am falling for him and now in too deep so I’m hoping he does not play with me... I haven’t given him anything but smokes, am waiting till he gets out’.’’
Other SMS exchanges revealed improper relationships with prisoners and their associates, including 174 messages exchanged with the partner of a prisoner between July 2015 and January 2018 where Badcock was asked to traffick tobacco for the prisoner and pass messages between the prisoner and his partner.
Mr Warne-Smith said similar matters in the past supported the necessity of a jail term for Badcock.
‘‘Each matter depends on its own facts, but I refer to these in terms of the principals for how the accused could be sentenced,” he said.
‘‘The corrosiveness of bribery and the effect it has on the administration of justice applies in this matter.
‘‘Badcock’s offending was motivated by financial gain derived by her position of public trust.’’
However, Badcock’s defence lawyer Matt Mahady suggested a two-year community corrections order and no jail based on findings in his client’s psychological report.
Magistrate Jelena Popovic said she couldn’t give a sentence indication.
‘‘I need to consider this. I can’t give any assurances I won’t give your client a term of imprisonment. But I need to take a look at other cases and write a judgment,’’ she said.
The case was deferred to March 26 at Echuca Magistrates Court for a plea of guilty.
Badcock resigned in February 2018 after the allegations were raised.
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