An NSW solicitor has been charged over an alleged sexual relationship with an inmate and the unauthorised access of confidential information.
A solicitor from the NSW Northern Rivers has been charged by police over an alleged sexual relationship with an inmate and the unauthorised access of confidential information on an official computer system.
Investigations into the 32-year-old woman began in September 2025, when detectives from Richmond Police District launched an inquiry under Strike Force Jillberta following allegations that the solicitor had failed to declare an inappropriate relationship.
The prosecutor was revealed to be Vanessa O’Bryan, who works as a solicitor for the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, as reported by The Daily Telegraph.
As part of the investigation, police executed a search warrant at a Ballina home at around 6:30am yesterday (Thursday, 30 October 2025).
During the raid, NSW Police revealed that they seized “mobile phones, computers and documentation”.
The female solicitor was arrested at the property and taken to Ballina Police Station.
She has since been charged with 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 in a serious indictable offence.
In court, police are expected to allege that the solicitor “unlawfully accessed confidential information and had an inappropriate sexual relationship with an inmate”.
The woman has been granted conditional bail and is scheduled to appear before Ballina Local Court on Thursday, 11 December 2025.
In a statement provided to Lawyers Weekly, a spokesperson from the ODPP shared that they had reported the solicitor’s “suspicious activity” to NSW Police and that the solicitor has been suspended.
“The NSW Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) takes any criminal accusation extremely seriously and is cooperating with the NSW Police investigation,” the spokeswoman said.
“In September, the ODPP reported the staff member’s conduct to NSW Police after detecting suspicious activity.
“The solicitor has been suspended.
“The ODPP has safeguards and policies in place to restrict access to sensitive material, which operate in addition to the professional ethical obligations of legal practitioners.”
