School Principal Places Classified Ad Seeking Sexual Favors from Teen Girls, Lands in Police Net

A high school principal, who placed a classified advertisement on an online site seeking sexual favors from teenage girls, has been arrested. The teacher put up an ad on a website called Locanto seeking "Indian or Filo teens" before being charged with trying to pay for sex with a 14-year-old girl.

According to ABC News, 47-year-old Damien Scott Wanstall chatted with someone who he believed was a 14-year-old girl. He engaged in sexually explicit conversations about acts he wished to perform on the child, before arranging to meet and pay for sex.

Unbeknown to him, he was messaging undercover detectives from NSW Police Strike Force Trawler.

As promised, Wanstall finished his work at Kellyville High School and headed to a location in Westmead where the meeting was supposed to happen.

However, he was in for a rude shock when he was met by detectives, who arrested him before taking him to Granville Police Station where he was charged.

According to News. Com, though the advert did not suggest Wanstall was seeking a minor for sex, he pursued the conversation with the detectives, under the guise of a 14-year-old girl, fully knowing "she" was underage.

The Kellyville High School website lists Wanstall as a deputy principal responsible for students in years 10 and 12.

Wanstall did not apply for bail and it was formally refused at Fairfield Local Court today. The matter was adjourned until next Tuesday.

His charges include using a carriage service to procure a child under 16 years for sexual activity and using a carriage service to transmit child abuse material.

A home in Rouse Hill was also raided and police seized items, including a laptop and an electronic storage device.

Acting Superintendent Goddard said these would now undergo forensic examination. “There’s nothing at this stage to indicate a pattern of behavior. So we will be going back and exploring other avenues and aspects of his online activities,” he said.

According to neighbors, Wanstall had moved to Rouse Hill about a decade ago after separating from his wife.

Strike Force Trawler, which led the operation, includes about 14 personnel who are dedicated to covert online operations to find would-be offenders.

According to Goddard, their work has led to many arrests of similar nature every week. "These offenders come from all walks of life. We have professionals, we have businessmen, tradies, a whole gamut of offenders. There is no stereotypical person who engages online in this space," he said.