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Damian Scott Wanstall, 47, was charged with trying to procure a 14-year-old girl for sex
A deputy principal charged with child sex offences was once praised as an ‘outstanding role model’, who was so trusted by parents he was made the coach of a young girls soccer team.
Damian Wanstall, 47, was arrested last Monday while allegedly on his way to meet up and pay for sex with a 14-year-old girl he groomed after meeting online.
The deputy principal at Kellyville High School, in Sydney’s north-west, allegedly believed he had met the teen via an online classifieds page, but in reality it was detectives from the NSW Child Abuse and Sex Crimes Squad.
A veteran of more than two decades in the education system, Wanstall’s arrest came after much scrutiny from parents at the school in recent years.
So concerned were parents that they notified NSW Police Minister David Elliott – the MP for the local Kellyville area – who forwarded their rumblings to the NSW Education Minister in a letter.
Daily Mail Australia can reveal the reported concerns around Wanstall are a long way from the glowing references a colleague and doctor provided after he was convicted of drink driving.
Wanstall had allegedly been chatting to a person he thought was a 14-year-old girl on online classified site Locanto – which is regularly used by sex workers – and told her the sex acts he had planned to perform
Wanstall was almost four times over the legal limit when he got behind the wheel of his green Hyundai i30 just in the early hours of July 26, 2014.
He had spent the night drinking cask of red wine and had an official blood alcohol reading of 0.186 when he hopped behind the wheel.
Wanstall was just a few streets over from his own Rouse Hill home when he ploughed into a truck parked in a driveway, before sitting by the kerb side until police arrived.
Convicted, banned from driving for 15 months and fined $1220, Wanstall sought out a pair of impressive character references who painted a glowing picture of him for a NSW Local Court magistrate.
The first was his doctor who described him as an ‘exemplary member’ of society.
‘In our discussion he is clearly devastated by the charge, acknowledges his guilt and is extremely remorseful,’ his reference read.
‘I consider that Damian is an exemplary member of our local community… he serves his student and parent community actively involving himself in event beyond the school gate, including coaching soccer teams, assisting with musicals, citizenship events with local community partners including Rotary Club.
‘I consider him to be an upstanding citizen who is of good character.’
A female staff member at Kellyville High School – who Daily Mail Australia has chosen not to name – also prepared a character reference for Wanstall.
In it she told of his dedication to children, both at school and at home as a father.
‘I consider that Damian is an upstanding member of the local community and is an outstanding role model to the students he teaches, the girls soccer team he coaches, and as a father,’ the woman’s reference read.
‘I am aware that Damian has pleaded guilty to the charge of high-range PCA.
Wanstall had previously been convicted of high-range drink driving with character references provided as part of that court case praising him as an ‘outstanding role model’ (Pictured is the front of Kellyville High School where he worked for more than a decade)
‘Damian has now had his licence suspended for four months… it has affected him in his ability to coach his daughter’s soccer team and attend evening work functions.
‘Damian has been a teacher for 18 years and has always been an exemplary role model for his students. He is currently a Deputy Principal and serves our community by also tutoring students and helping with their welfare outside of school hours.
‘Damian is a responsible member of society. He always exemplifies integrity and is committed to initiating and leading numerous school and community events that greatly benefit members of the community.
‘He always considers the needs of others before his own and I have never found him to be involved in unsafe or risky behaviour.’
I have never found him to be involved in unsafe or risky behaviour…
A 2014 character reference for Damian Wanstall
Parents at Kellyville High School were last week urged to talk to their children about their encounters with him, amid fears there may be more potential alleged victims.
In a letter to all parents, acting principal Mark Mr Burnard said his former deputy – who is also a maths teacher – had been stood down ‘immediately’.
He also urged parents to call local police if their children told them they had been ‘subject to or witness (to) any potential offences’ at the hands of Wanstall.
‘You may be aware that a person was charged this week with a number of criminal offences that are child related,’ the letter read.
‘I can confirm that the person who is the subject of the police matter is a Deputy Principal at our school, however they are no long undertaking their duties.
‘In circumstances such as these, departmental employees are immediately removed from their duties in order to manage any risk to students.
Parents at Kellyville High School were sent this letter by acting principal Mark Burnard the day after Wanstall’s arrest, urging them to ask their children about their encounters with him
Wanstall allegedly placed this advertisement headed ‘Any legal Indian or Filo teens want fun’
Wanstall is charged with one count of using a carriage service to procure a child under 16 for sexual activity, and one count of using a carriage service to solicit child abuse material
‘It is possible your son or daughter, or a child under your care was a student of the teacher.
‘If your child discloses they have been subject to or witnessed any potential offences committed by this person it is requested that you contact Castle Hill Police station.’
Wanstall was allegedly chatting to what he thought was a 14-year-old girl on Locanto, a free online classified advertising site regularly used by sex workers.
He had initially placed an ad on the website that read: ‘Any legal Indian or Filo teens want fun. 40yo aussie daddy sexy play this weekend. Will reward. Can host discreetly Rouse Hill.’
He allegedly received a response from someone claiming to be an underage girl.
In his reply Wanstall allegedly told her the sex acts he planned to perform and offered to pay her.
But when he went to meet the girl he was arrested by NSW Police officers who had been posing as the child the whole time.
Neighbours told Daily Mail Australia that Wanstall had moved to Rouse Hill about a decade ago after separating from his wife.
They said a daughter often lived with him and he had an on-off girlfriend in the years since his first marriage ended.
Kellyville High School acting principal Mark Burnard assured ‘ parents that Wanstall (pictured on holiday in New Zealand) had been removed from duties ‘to manage any risk to students’
Wanstall (pictured) did not appear in Fairfield Local Court on Tuesday and his lawyer made no application for bail
Wanstall was arrested by police in Sydney’s western suburbs at about 4.30pm on Monday. They allege he believed he was going to meet a 14-year-old girl for sex
When they saw police at his home on Monday afternoon they thought nothing of it.
‘He’d lived there probably ten plus years, he was divorced and moved there after that, I suppose,’ one neighbour said.
‘I saw the cops here yesterday coming out of the house and I didn’t know what was going on and I didn’t inquire.
‘We’d talk regularly. I knew he was a deputy at Kellyville (High School) so I’m a bit shocked by this.’
Wanstall did not appear in Fairfield Local Court on Tuesday and his lawyer made no application for bail.
He is charged with one count of using a carriage service to procure a child under 16 for sexual activity, and one count of using a carriage service to solicit child abuse material.
He will reappear in court next Tuesday, December 15, to make a bail application.
Wanstall is led away by police following his arrest on Monday afternoon
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