Ashley Willis bailed ahead of child abuse material court case

The son of a former Corrections’ officer facing charges of grooming and producing sickening child abuse material poses no risk if he’s released on bail, a court has ruled.

The son of an ex Corrections’ officer facing charges of grooming and producing sickening child abuse material has gone to the Supreme Court to seek bail.

THURSDAY HEARING: BAIL RULING

The state’s highest court has granted bail to the son of a former Corrections Victoria officer facing charges of grooming multiple children and producing child abuse material.

Justice Jane Dixon ruled in the Supreme Court on Thursday that bail could be granted to Ashley Willis, 24, given his past compliance with bail conditions and his vulnerability in custody as a young and Indigenous man.

It was his first time in custody and he didn’t have any previous convictions, she said.

“While the alleged offending is serious and the applicant would if convicted face a significant term of imprisonment, it appears likely that there will be substantial delay before the charges could be finalised,” Justice Dixon said.

The Supreme Court has granted Ashley Willis bail to his father’s home

She said the prosecution had acknowledged most people facing trial in the County Court for such offending were granted bail pending trial.

WEDNESDAY HEARING (PART HEARD):

The son of a former Corrections Victoria officer facing charges of grooming multiple children and producing child abuse material has sought bail largely due to his fragile mental health.

Ashley Willis was charged together with Daniel Fallon after 20 devices that allegedly contained evidence the duo had been grooming children were seized from the pair during a police raid late last year.

The two had allegedly offended domestically and internationally, with one alleged victim in Victoria and two overseas

Mr Willis, 24, appeared in the Supreme Court on Wednesday for a bail hearing and Justice Jane Dixon will deliver her ruling on either Thursday or Friday this week.

Defence lawyer Julia Kretzenbacher called Mr Willi’s father Jason James Willis who worked as a Corrections’ officer in Ararat and other places until 2011 in support of Mr Willis bail application.

Jason Willis said he would be happy for his son to live with him if bail was granted and that his wife and two daughters would also support him.

Ashley Willis is in custody on charges of grooming and producing child abuse material.

Being a former Corrections’ officer, he said he ran a “tight ship” at home in terms of discipline and that he’d report his son if he breached his bail.

Ms Kretzenbacher submitted that bail should be granted given Ashley Willis’ mental health issues, young age, strong family support, him being an Indigenous person who was vulnerable in custody and the fact he didn’t breach his initial bail.

If bailed, she said Ashley Willis would continue with his mental health treatment and rehabilitation which would be difficult in custody.

She said consideration must also be given for the voluminous amount of material to be filed in court and the delay in the case reaching committal and trial stages.

The prosecution is opposed to the grant of bail on the grounds he posed an unacceptable risk to the community and that the case was at an early stage of proceedings.