Three charges against a prison officer accused of raping a female inmate have been dropped.
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Mathew Brendan Wellings, who worked as an officer at the Wellington Correctional Centre, appeared at the Dubbo Local Court on Thursday, May 8, for charge certification.
The 37-year-old sat in the public gallery, supported by family, as a Department of Public Prosecutions prosecutor confirmed the three sexual assault charges against him would be dropped.
The charges against Wellings came after police received a report in August that an officer allegedly sexually assaulted a 28-year-old inmate three times between June and July in 2024.
Following investigations, Wellings was arrested at the Wellington Correctional Centre on Thursday, August 8.
He was taken to Wellington Police Station, where he was charged with three counts of aggravated sexual assault and one count of engaging in a relationship with an inmate.
After further investigation, including reviewing hundreds of hours of CCTV footage from the centre, the three sexual assault charges were dropped.
He is expected to defend the charge of having a relationship with an inmate in a hearing at Wellington Local Court.
The prosecutor asked for a further two-week adjournment for police to prepare the case. He said a large number of correctional centre inmates and staff are expected to give evidence.
The adjournment was granted.
Wellings' case will next come before the court for mention on Thursday, May 22.
He remains on bail with a condition not to contact any witnesses - including any corrections staff or inmates - and not to enter any correctional facility in NSW.
