We’re shining a light on a case that exposes what can happen when the very people entrusted to protect vulnerable individuals abuse that trust, and what the law can do when the system fails to act. Our client was a recovering addict in a NSW prison. Her abuser, Wayne Astill, was her senior correctional officer. She came to our firm for representation.
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Justice For Survivor Of Wayne Astill
Wayne Astill was a senior officer at Dillwynia Correctional Centre, a long-serving Corrective Services NSW officer who had risen to act in the rank of Chief Correctional Officer. He was also the person exploiting our client.
Our client was 33 years old, actively engaged in drug rehabilitation programs, and trying to remain drug-free. Astill saw that vulnerability and used it against her. On two separate occasions, he solicited sexual favours from her in exchange for illegal substances, a serious breach of trust and an abuse of power that should never occur in any custodial setting.
Astill was later convicted by a jury of 27 criminal offences relating to the abuse of other female inmates at Dillwynia. However, our client was not one of the complainants in those proceedings. Criminal law offered her no pathway to justice. So she came to us.
Representing Clients Suing State for Abuse By Prison Guard Wayne Astill
Our civil solicitor, Anavi Arya, pursued a civil claim on our client’s behalf for trespass to her person, including aggravated and exemplary damages. We were successful.
The court acknowledged the power imbalance, the rank Astill held, the vulnerability of a woman in recovery, and the deliberate nature of his conduct. In the end, the outcome reflected the seriousness of that wrongdoing, with compensatory, aggravated, and exemplary damages all awarded.
Our client also received a formal apology from the Commissioner of Corrective Services NSW, Gary McCahon PSM, acknowledging the system’s failure to protect her. This case is a reminder that civil litigation can provide recognition and accountability even when criminal proceedings cannot, and that no institution is above the law.
👉 Read The Full Case Study Here.
We Have Represented Multiple Survivors Of Wayne Astill
This is not an isolated case. O’Brien Criminal & Civil Solicitors have represented multiple survivors of abuse at Dillwynia Correctional Centre. If you or someone you know was subjected to abuse by Wayne Astill or any other correctional officer, a civil claim may still be available to you, even if you were not part of any criminal proceedings.
Call us on (02) 9261 4281 or fill out a form to speak with our Sydney-based civil law team.
