Victorian prison boss charged with child porn offences
An investigation by specialist child abuse detectives has resulted in multiple child porn charges laid against the general manager of a medium security Victorian prison.
VIC News
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One of Victoria’s top prison bosses has been charged with child porn offences.
Wayne Harper, the general manager of medium security Marngoneet Correctional Centre, was this week charged after an investigation by specialist child abuse investigators.
Mr Harper left Marngoneet without warning this week.
The Herald Sun has been told his office at the jail, near Geelong, was thoroughly searched in recent days.
The Department of Justice and Community Safety confirmed a Corrections Victoria prison officer was being investigated by Victoria Police.
“The prison officer is no longer employed at the department. As the matter is the subject of an ongoing police investigation, it would be inappropriate to comment further,” a statement from the Department said.
“The integrity of Victoria’s corrections system is of the highest priority and all staff are required to uphold the utmost levels of professionalism and ethics.
The Department said it took a “zero-tolerance approach” to breaches of its code of conduct.
Victoria Police said detectives from the Geelong sexual offences and child abuse investigation team detectives had charged a man.
“A 57-year-old Leopold man was charged with knowingly possessing child abuse material and knowingly possessing child pornography,”.
Mr Harper has been bailed to appear at Geelong Magistrates’ Court on 13 November.
Police said the investigation “remains ongoing”.
Marngoneet Correctional Centre contains both the 559-bed Marngoneet jail and the adjoining Karreenga, a 300-bed complex housing many sex offenders.
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Mr Harper has had a rapid rise through the ranks of Corrections Victoria.
He started casual work at Marngoneet in 2006 after a career in the manufacturing industry and small business.
Mr Harper has also served at the Barwon and Loddon prisons.
He is the project manager for the Inside Out Parenting Program, which aims to help reduce the level of intergenerational crime.