Keli Lane, who was convicted of killing her newborn baby daughter, has alleged that she was sexually assaulted daily for years by the notorious former prison guard Wayne Astill. These allegations were revealed by Greens MP Sue Higginson in the New South Wales (NSW) parliament, where Lane’s husband was also present. Higginson stated that Lane was a witness in a government inquiry regarding Astill’s abuse, which was taking place over several years with the knowledge of certain officers who did nothing.
Lane’s testimony, as read out by Higginson, described how Astill would force her into sexual acts, specifying locations like the reception office or a nearby storehouse. In 2023, Astill was jailed for up to 23 years for assaulting female prisoners at Dillwynia correctional centre. The state government inquiry found that Astill should never have been employed in state prisons due to either corruption or incompetence.
Higginson highlighted how Lane unwittingly reported the abuse to a prison officer who happened to be Astill’s de facto partner, emphasizing the state’s failure to protect Lane. Lane endured verbal abuse, constant room raids, and false accusations from both prison officers and other inmates. When she reported these incidents, she was dismissively told she was “not special.”
Lane’s revelations come after another female prisoner, known as GP1, who was allegedly raped by Astill multiple times, reached a settlement with the NSW government. The settlement followed court documents alleging that the justice department was aware of Astill’s abuse of female inmates.
Lane, who was found guilty in 2010 of murdering her newborn daughter Tegan, has always maintained her innocence. The case has drawn comparisons to Kathleen Folbigg’s case, with Higginson using Lane’s treatment as part of a motion to reconsider her parole. Despite being eligible for parole after serving 14 years, Lane’s first bid for release was denied under controversial “no body, no parole” laws introduced by the Coalition in 2022.
Labor MP Emily Suvaal responded to Higginson’s revelations by acknowledging the horrific nature of Astill’s crimes and stating that the government is addressing the Astill inquiry’s recommendations. Support for individuals affected by rape or sexual abuse is available through various organizations, such as 1800Respect in Australia, Rape Crisis in the UK, and RAINN in the US, as well as international helplines listed on ibiblio.org/rcip/internl.html.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/mar/19/convicted-baby-killer-keli-lane-allegedly-sexually-assaulted-by-notorious-prison-guard-wayne-astill-ntwnfb
