NSW Prosecutor Charged Over Alleged Inmate Relationships and Data Breach

"The accused is a DPP solicitor and former defence solicitor who has had access to high-level criminals on a professional and personal level. The extent of the impact of the information that she has provided to these persons is not known and (is) potentially extremely damaging." — Police statement from court documents.

Suppression orders on a case involving a New South Wales prosecutor have been lifted by the NSW Supreme Court, revealing multiple criminal charges following allegations of intimate relationships with prison inmates and the unauthorized access of confidential legal files.

The Accused and Initial Charges

Vanessa O'Bryan, a 32-year-old solicitor employed by the NSW Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), was arrested in November 2025.

She was initially charged with:

• Misconduct in public office
• Illegal access to restricted data
• Hindering evidence

O'Bryan was released on police bail following these initial charges.

Detailed Allegations

According to police documents presented to the court, the allegations against O'Bryan include two major categories of misconduct.

Alleged Relationships with Inmates

• An intimate relationship with convicted gangland killer Joshua Baines, who is serving a 27-year sentence for his role in the 2016 murder of Pasquale Barbaro in Earlwood, Sydney. O'Bryan had previously represented Baines as a criminal defence lawyer before her employment with the DPP.
• Police allege that between May 8, 2023, and January 16, 2025, O'Bryan had hundreds of conversations with Baines "for the purpose of carrying out intimate sexual relations."
• An intimate relationship with another inmate, Terry Sampson.

Alleged Unauthorized Data Access

• Improperly accessing 1,439 pages relating to 284 criminal matters with which she had no affiliation. Police documents state this was done for "no legitimate legal purpose."

Investigation and Additional Charges

The DPP launched an internal investigation after a report was made by Sharna Cain, who was the girlfriend of inmate Terry Sampson at the time.

• Police allege that during a three-way call between O'Bryan, Cain, and Sampson, O'Bryan made comments indicating a sexual relationship with Sampson.
• The documents further allege O'Bryan sent Cain a selfie image of Sampson shirtless with the caption "I love you so much Vanessa" to prove the relationship.
• O'Bryan reported receiving abusive texts from Cain. Cain later pleaded guilty to intimidation for sending those texts and received a 12-month community correction order.

Following the initial charges, O'Bryan was remanded into custody after facing additional, more serious allegations:

• Benefiting from a criminal group
• Concealing crime proceeds

She has since been granted bail for a second time.

Court Proceedings and Official Statements

On a recent Friday, NSW Supreme Court Justice Sarah McNaughton lifted suppression orders that had been in place regarding the case. Justice McNaughton stated there is "a higher public interest in open justice where a solicitor has been charged with serious criminal offences."

Statements from police included in court documents outline significant concerns about the case. A police prosecutor told the court that O'Bryan had "no legitimate reason to contact prison inmates as a DPP solicitor." The prosecutor also stated that police are still investigating the potential impact of her alleged access to confidential records.

The matters are now before the court.