September 9th 2024.
A former deputy principal, Damian Wanstall, recently had a reduction in his jail sentence by almost a year. This came after he was caught by undercover police while attempting to engage in sexual activity with a girl who he believed was underage. Initially, Wanstall had been sentenced to three years and seven months in jail with a non-parole period of two years in July of 2023.
The incident occurred when Wanstall posted an online classified ad under the heading: "Any legal Indian or Filo teens want fun." The ad stated that a 40-year-old man, who identified himself as an "Aussie daddy," was seeking a weekend of "sexy play." In exchange, he promised a reward and offered to host discreetly in Rouse Hill. Little did he know, this ad would lead him to a run-in with the law.
An undercover police officer, posing as a 14-year-old girl, responded to Wanstall's ad and arranged a meeting for sex in Westmead, a suburb in western Sydney. However, instead of a rendezvous with a young girl, Wanstall was greeted by police officers and arrested. He was found to have $200 in his possession and later pleaded guilty to one count of using a carriage service to solicit child abuse material.
In the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal, a panel of three judges reviewed Wanstall's case and unanimously decided to reduce his sentence. His new sentence is two years and eight months, with a non-parole period of 18 months that will expire on November 16. This is a significant decrease from his initial sentence, which had a non-parole period of two years.
It is important to note that the charge for which Wanstall was jailed carries a maximum penalty of 15 years. The NSW Department of Education has also taken action, immediately dismissing Wanstall once he was convicted. For those in need of support, the National Sexual Assault, Domestic Family Violence Counselling Service at 1800RESPECT is available.
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