Wayne Gregory Astill, a former prison guard, has appealed his convictions for sexually abusing 10 inmates, including a pregnant woman, at a women’s jail in Sydney. During the appeal, Astill’s lawyer argued that the trial judge made errors in directing the jury about Astill’s alleged tendencies, which may have influenced their verdict.
The Crown prosecutor, however, defended the trial judge’s instructions, asserting that the jury was correctly guided and clearly understood the standard of proof required to convict Astill. Additionally, Astill’s lawyer argued that the 23-year jail sentence handed down was excessively harsh and should be reconsidered.
The Chief Justice, along with two other Justices, will deliver a decision on the appeal at a later date.