A convicted child sex offender from Charlestown is preparing to make a fresh bid for freedom, forcing his victim-survivor brother to put his career ambitions on hold due to fears for his safety.
Parole Hearing Looms, Survivor's Life in Limbo
Robert Marc Windsor will have his case reviewed by the New South Wales Parole Authority on December 11, 2025. This comes less than ten months after his initial parole application was refused earlier this year. The repeat hearing is possible due to provisions in parole legislation that allow for reconsideration before a standard 12-month waiting period has elapsed.
One of the two survivors of Windsor's crimes, his younger brother Mitchell Windsor, has spoken out about the profound personal cost of this ongoing process. Mitchell has revealed he is being forced to withhold his application for a highly competitive graduate paramedic position with Ambulance NSW.
"With his impending release, my sense of safety is compromised," Mitchell stated. He explained that the demanding 12-month graduate program, a crucial transition-to-practice role, is something he can only approach with confidence if he knows his perpetrator will not be free in the community.
A History of Heinous Crimes
Robert Windsor was sentenced to nearly 18 years in prison in 2011, with a non-parole period of 14 years set to expire on March 23, 2025. His guilty plea covered a staggering catalogue of offences against children.
He admitted to:
- 13 counts of sexual intercourse with a child under ten
- Two counts of sexual intercourse with a child under 14
- Four counts of aggravated indecent assault on a child under 16
- Two counts of indecent assault of a child under 16
- Two counts of indecency on a child under 10
In addition to these hands-on offences against two children, Windsor was convicted for possessing thousands of child pornography images, ranging from the least to the most severe categories. Australian Federal Police recovered approximately 40,000 images during a search of his Charlestown home.
Government Opposition and Calls for Systemic Reform
The Minns Labor government has stated it will formally oppose Windsor's release. Acting Minister for Corrections, Paul Scully, said the government would always prioritise community safety. "We recognise the pain and suffering that victim-survivors like Mitchell Windsor have endured due to these deplorable crimes, and we applaud his courage and strength to speak up," Mr Scully said.
Beyond this specific case, Mitchell Windsor is advocating for urgent, bipartisan reform of the parole system for serious child sex offenders in NSW. He criticises the "manifest injustice loophole" within Section 223 of the Crimes Act, which allows inmates to have parole reconsidered prematurely.
"This process inflicts ongoing trauma upon victims and their families, forcing them to repeatedly relive the past with little time to recover or heal," Mitchell said. He described the cycle of hearings as triggering intensified anxiety, depression, insomnia, and a worsening of PTSD symptoms.
Mitchell Windsor's advocacy highlights a critical tension within the justice system: the procedural rights of offenders versus the profound and recurring trauma inflicted on victims who must continually engage with the parole process. His personal sacrifice—pausing a sought-after career in paramedicine—underscores the very real and present impact these hearings have on survivors' lives long after sentencing is complete.
