ODPP investigates employee over relationship allegations involving inmates

The NSW Director of Public Prosecutions has flagged that it would launch an internal investigation as one of its employees faces charges of allegedly having intimate relationships with an inmate and unauthorised access to hundreds of confidential court files.

An NSW Director of Public Prosecutions lawyer has been accused of allegedly engaging in inappropriate relationships with multiple prison inmates serving sentences, alongside the unauthorised access of hundreds of confidential files with the potential to impact numerous court cases.

As named by The Daily Telegraph, Vanessa O’Bryan has been charged with a series of six indictable offences, including three counts of misconduct in public office, two counts of accessing or modifying restricted computer data, and one count of hindering the discovery of evidence.

This follows an investigation by NSW detectives attached to the Richmond Police District under Strike Force Jillberta, which examined “the alleged actions of a solicitor who failed to declare an inappropriate relationship”.

The investigation prompted police to execute a search warrant at the 32-year-old woman’s home in Ballarat on 30 October 2025 at 6:30am, where “mobile phones, computers and documentation” were seized.

O’Bryan later appeared at Ballina Local Court on 11 December that year, where she was granted conditional bail.

Since the allegations were brought to light, an ODPP spokesperson confirmed she was “immediately suspended” from her duties without pay once police laid charges.

More details regarding O’Bryan’s case have been revealed by The Daily Telegraph after a suppression order on the matter was successfully overturned last week, following months of legal proceedings.

As reported, a police document alleges she engaged in an inappropriate relationship with convicted gangland murderer Joshua Baines, who is serving at least 27 years behind bars, having previously been represented by her as his criminal defence lawyer.

“Between May 8, 2023 and January 16, 2025 there were (hundreds of) conversations with Joshua Baines for the purpose of carrying out intimate sexual relations,” a court document lodged by the police prosecutor alleged, according to The Daily Telegraph.

The police prosecutor alleged that O’Bryan’s actions were “deliberate and undermine the justice system and public trust”.

“She’s not only willing to have [alleged] sexual relationships with inmates, but also compromise police investigations as a result of those relationships,” the police prosecutor claimed.

“Police don’t know what the actual impact of her accessing the records is … because they are still investigating.”

In addition to allegations of inappropriate relationships with inmates, O’Bryan is also accused of accessing hundreds of confidential DPP documents.

Police document warns that the extent of the impact of the information allegedly provided to these individuals is “not known” but has warned that it is “potentially extremely damaging to other court matters and/or the safety of individuals”.

A spokesperson for the ODPP has confirmed that a major internal investigation into the incident will be conducted once the criminal investigation into O’Bryan is completed.

“The NSW Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) takes all criminal accusations very seriously and continues to cooperate closely with NSW Police … a full internal investigation will take place after the criminal investigation has concluded,” the ODPP spokesperson said.

The matter will return to Ballina Local Court for a brief hearing on 7 May.