Former Kellyville High School deputy principal Damian Wanstall faces sentencing

A disgraced ex-deputy principal at a northwest Sydney high school told a teenage girl he tried to pay for sex he looked like Richard Gere with a dad bod. Warning: Graphic content.

Damian Scott Wanstall pleaded guilty to attempting to procure a child for sex. Picture: Dylan Coker

A series of creepy messages former Kellyville High School deputy principal and dad Damian Wanstall sent to a girl he attempted to procure for sex have been revealed.

The 49 year old’s career ended when he was charged with attempting to procure a child for sex in December 2020.

He pleaded guilty to using carriage service to procure person less than 16 for sexual activity after placing an ad to have sex with the teen and is before sentencing at Parramatta District Court.

In agreed facts tendered to the court, Wanstall’s messages under the name Johnno33 called for “any Indian or filo teen want fun – 40yo aussie daddy seeking play this morning”.

The court previously heard Wanstall had posted an online ad seeking encounters with “legal” teens – before a detective engaged with him posing as a 14-year-old girl.

Wanstall, who was supported in court by his mother, offered $300 “for a few hours fun”.

“You realise im (sic) talking sex?’’

“Your cup size? Dress size?’’

The offender then said he was contemplating oral sex and wanted to meet at Rouse Hill Town Centre before asking: “What size are your boobs” and suggested travelling to meet her and “we can play in the car”.

“Have you done anything sexual before with a guy? Or yourself?’’ the facts state.

“Yes of course it will be fine. Better to explore with an experienced guy haha.’’

Wanstall, who is on bail, also asked the girl about her parents before requesting raunchy images.

“Are you near a public toilet or home to take cheeky pics?’’

He was scared the girl was the police and he would be in jail but shortly after asked for nude photos of her.

“When home you send 2 saucy pics of your boobs and p*ssy. We plan for tomorrow at 4.30pm. I can pick you up we do kiss, oral, touching in car. Depends on your mum’s shifts?’’

They agreed to meet at Westmead and Wanstall said he would have “$$ to give you” and “if we meet every day next week at ($)200 you’ll have $1000 by end of the week”.

Damian Wanstall at a previous court appearance. Picture: Dylan Coker

He persisted with asking her for more photos.

“You look so yummu (sic). Wish I could see you in uniform. Raunchy ones later in bathroom.

“Take pics xx Boobs, p*ssy.’’

He also told her he looked like actors Richard Gere and Mark Harmon “but with a dad bod”.

On December 7, 2020, the offender was busted when detectives swooped on him at Westmead where he had $200 in his pocket.

The 49 year old’s career ended when he was charged with attempting to procure a child for sex.

During sentencing submissions, Wanstall’s barrister Nicholas Baltinos told the court his client suffered “greater than normal embarrassment” compared with other offenders because of high profile media coverage.

But Judge Andrew Colefax rejected how media attention constituted extra-curial punishment for the “highly intelligent’’ offender.

The judge also dismissed the excuse that Wanstall placed the online ad to make his ex-partner jealous instead of admitting he was sexually attracted to children.

Mr Baltinos said: “Smart people do rational things from time to time … people with high IQs, pillars of society do ridiculous things.’’

He said his client was unsuccessful with relationships.

“He’s just not adept to handling that kind of thing. He needs help with identifying issues, managing relationships, he’s just not suited to it …’’

Judge Colefax also rejected that response.

Wanstall’s fate looms at Parramatta District Court.

“He didn’t just place the ad, he engaged in highly sexualised communication,’’ he said, adding that he arranged to meet a person who he thought was a child.

“How does any of that sit with his explanation that he placed the ad to inflame the jealousy of the former partner?,’’ Judge Colefax said.

Mr Baltinos said Wanstall could not cope with relationship problems easily.

“Mr Wanstall lived in a different world in his head,’’ he said.

He said Wanstall’s record was almost unblemished apart from the high range PCA charge in 2014 and there was no evidence of him possessing child abuse material.

When the defence told the court Wanstall was not a predator, the judge questioned why he would then be prepared to pay 14-year-old girls money for sex.

Crown prosecutor Alex Brown told the court the offender failed to show remorse for his predatory sexual interest in teens.

“This was not impulsive or spontaneous conduct,’’ he said.

“It was offending that took place across a number of times, which the offender had ample time to reflect on his conduct.’’

The prosecutor also dismissed alcohol as an excuse for Wanstall’s offending because he was not intoxicated when committing the crime.

Judge Colefax adjourned sentencing for Wednesday.