NSW Prison officers to get mandatory sexual misconduct training amid claims two staff sent colleagues’ kids explicit images

Two NSW prison officers allegedly sent explicit images to the children of their colleagues as a shocking number of sexual misconduct allegations spark mandatory training.

Every correctional officer in the state will be forced to undertake mandatory training after SafeWork NSW issued an agency-wide order following a spate of sexual assault and harassment incidents behind bars.

A SafeWork NSW investigation found correctional officers were being “exposed” to risks of sexual harassment and assault by their colleagues, due to a lack of management and proper handling of allegations within their own ranks.

“Workers who are front line to receive sexual harassment reports, including sexual assault, are not provided with adequate information, instruction and training to adequately identify and manage sexual harassment, including sexual assault, as a Work Health and Safety hazard in the workplace,” the improvement notice said.

Correctional officers across NSW will be forced to undertake mandatory sexual misconduct training. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

SafeWork NSW also found Corrective Services NSW was not “adequately managing reports of alleged incidents of sexual harassment, including sexual assault”, received by the department’s investigation unit.

The findings, which sparked a series of orders imposed on the agency to address the management and handling of sexual assault and harassment, come as 23 officers are currently suspended and under investigation for complaints of sexual harassment.

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Meanwhile, two officers are suspended following complaints of sexual assault in the workplace.

The scramble to train officers comes as the findings of a special commission of inquiry into the handling of horrific sexual assault incidents by former corrections officer Wayne Astill is set to be handed down this month, and former Silverwater correctional officer Scott Hawken to go to trial over allegations he sexual assaulted female colleagues.

A total of 23 officers have been suspended over sexual harassment allegations. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

The Saturday Telegraph can reveal two correctional officers in two different centres have been accused of sending explicit images to the children of colleagues.

A senior officer at Macquarie Correctional Centre allegedly sent an explicit image to a female colleague and her 12-year-old son before the matter was dropped by NSW Police who found they “could not reach a standard of proof required to bring the matter to court”.

The partner of the female officer has hit out at NSW Police and Corrective Services’ handling of the alleged incident, telling TheSaturday Telegraph his wife wasn’t given an update for months after reporting it to senior management.

“I want him to either resign or to be terminated – you can’t be a public servant and send d**k pics to minors,” He said. “Within days of reporting the incident to the governor, my partner was labelled by some colleagues as a ‘dog’ and a ‘career destroyer’ because they didn’t understand the context of the messages we had received.

An officer allegedly sent a colleague and her son an explicit image on snapchat. (Photo by SCOTT OLSON / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)

“You don’t want to believe that your colleague would do this on purpose.”

The husband of the officer said his wife had been “let down” by NSW Police and Corrective Services.

It is understood that while criminal prosecution was dropped against the senior correctional officer, CSNSW was investigating the incident as a misconduct allegation and the male officer has been relocated to another centre following a release from suspension.

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Meanwhile, an officer working in the court cells in the state’s north has been charged by NSW Police after allegedly sending an explicit image to the daughter of another officer.

The man, who was suspended pending criminal proceedings by CSNSW, was charged over allegations he “groomed” a child, as well as the “indecent treatment” of a child under 16.

A CSNSW spokeswoman said sexual misconduct was utterly unacceptable and Corrective Services NSW takes immediate action to thoroughly investigate all claims”.

Macquarie Correctional Centre near Dubbo. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

“We encourage any staff member who is aware of misconduct in the workplace to report it to Professional Standards and Investigations or NSW Police, so we can continue to identify and act upon instances of wrongdoing,” she said.

“It would be inappropriate to comment further on any active investigations or matters that are before the courts given no conclusive findings have been made at this stage.”

The spokeswoman said Corrective Services NSW has finalised five SafeWork orders by “updating its misconduct reporting process and improving reporting systems”.

“These updates include improving the misconduct reporting process by making it a requirement to report sexual harassment allegations as a workplace hazard,” she said. “CSNSW has also made improvements to the systems used for reporting misconduct and work, health and safety hazards.”