Wayne Astill to be given highly protective classification for length of inmate sex assault sentence: court

Wayne Astill, who was convicted of sexually abusing female inmates while a guard at Dyllwinia Correctional Centre, will be assigned a highly protective classification during his stay in prison.

Ex-prison guard Wayne Astill was on bail in August during his trial, but it was revoked after jurors found him guilty. Picture: NCA NewsWire

A high-ranking prison officer who sexually abused multiple female inmates at a western Sydney correctional centre will be given the gift of anonymity throughout his jail sentence, a court has heard.

The Daily Telegraph can reveal such is the fear NSW Corrective Services have for the safety of their former colleague, Wayne Astill, that the acting governor of Long Bay jail has given authority for the 66-year-old to be handed a ‘CP’ classification while behind bars.

The NSW District Court on Friday heard scant detail of what the classification entails, with Judge Gina O’Rourke herself saying she had not heard of it before and asked Astill’s legal team to provide further information about it ahead of their client’s sentencing next month.

However, the court was told at the very least Astill will be kept isolated from all other prisoners in protective custody and will be known only by his inmate number, his name seemingly consigned to history.

“As I understand it, it is someone who is only referred to by their number, for safety (reasons),” defence barrister Jack Tyler-Stott said by way of brief explanation.

Wayne Astill pictured in 2019 during one of his court appearances.

“He’s not known by name, there’s no reference to his name your Honour, and that’s clearly as a result of the risk that Corrective Services believe is presented to the offender. That’s something that has been sanctioned by the governor.”

Astill, who appeared in court via video link from Long Bay jail, has spent the past six months behind bars after being found guilty at trial of 19 sexual offences against more than half a dozen women, all of which occurred between 2016 and 2017 while he was chief correctional officer at the Dillwynia Correctional Centre in Berkshire Park.

The Crown case was that Astill, a former police officer, “traded favours” with the women, such as giving them medicine and longer phone calls, in exchange for sex.

The Crown had alleged that in numerous cases the women had agreed to have oral or penile-vaginal sex with Astill because they believed they had no other option or were threatened with being moved to another prison.

He told the jury the women could not consent freely because “they were Mr Astill’s prisoners. There’s a power imbalance there”.

Astill abused inmates at Sydney’s Dillwynia Correctional Centre, near Windsor. Dyllwinia is Australia's largest women's jail with room for 531 prisoners. Picture: NCA NewsWire

Astill had originally pleaded not guilty to all the charged against him and was acquitted of 11 charges at trial.

He was found guilty of 19 sexual offences, including multiple counts of aggravated indecent assault of women under his authority, and pleaded guilty to seven counts of misconducting public office.

Meanwhile, Gary Lane, a lifelong friend of Astill’s who gave evidence of his mate’s “good character” in court on Friday said he had been shocked when he first heard of the charges against Astill, but that he still supported him.

“Knowing as you do that Mr Astill has, during his time as a prison officer, been sexually assaulting a good number of women, is it fair to say he’s not the man you believed him to be?” the prosecutor asked.

“Ah, it was very hard to take when I found out what had happened. I just couldn’t believe it. It just wasn’t in his nature,” Mr Lane responded.

“Well, you don’t maintain he’s a good bloke knowing that do you?” the prosecutor said.

“Well I’m not going to give up on him because of that,” Mr Lane replied.

“You’ll stick [with] him … regardless of what he’s done?” the prosecutor asked.

“Yes,” Mr Lane said.

Astill will be sentenced on March 29.