Ashley Paul Griffith: Australia’s most depraved child sex offender’s life in prison

Ashley Paul Griffith, one of Australia’s worst pedophiles, has quietly lived in the Wolston ­secure prison unit S3 with other high-profile, protected prisoners such as Daniel Morcombe’s killer.

Ashley Paul Griffith.

One of Australia’s worst pedophiles has spent time jailed with other “scared prisoners” after he was publicly outed for his sickening crimes.

Ashley Paul Griffith, 46, has quietly lived in the Wolston ­secure prison unit S3 with other high-profile protected prisoners such as Brett Peter Cowan, who murdered schoolboy Daniel Morcombe.

Griffith – sentenced to life in jail with a 27-year non-parole period – has been in the prison, near Brisbane, for more than a year.

While he keeps a low profile, he is understood to have made some friends in the unit that is widely referred to as being the “jelly heads”, in reference to the inmates inside.

During his time in jail Griffith has had no visitors, but he speaks weekly with family members, who still support him, the District Court was told on Friday.

Ashley Paul Griffith – court sketch FRIDAY 29.11.24, Monster pedophile Ashley Paul Griffith has been handed a life sentence.

“He is in S3 with all the other scared prisoners,” a prison officer said of Griffith.

“You wouldn’t even know he was there these days.”

Griffith pleaded guilty to 307 offences, which included the abuse of 65 young girls at 11 Brisbane childcare centres over a 20-year period.

The abuse included 28 counts of rape, 190 counts of indecently treating a child in his care, 67 counts of making child exploitation material and 15 counts of maintaining a sexual relationship with a child.

He also faces NSW and Italian prosecutions relating to 27 other victims at childcare centres in those jurisdictions.

Griffith was transferred to Wolston jail in 2023, but quickly became known for his horrific acts after he was identified as the monster who raped and sexually abused dozens of young girls.

Griffith was transferred to Wolston from the remand centre Arthur Gorrie, where he had been working in prison ­industries.

Within weeks of his move he suffered facial burns after a prisoner tipped boiling water over him.

Officers believe there may have been jam added to the hot water in a “napalm attack” to make the burning liquid stick to him.

It’s unclear if Griffith will remain at Wolston now that he has been sentenced and subject to widespread publicity.

However, Wolston houses the majority of the state’s convicted sex offenders.

Originally published as Ashley Paul Griffith: Australia’s most depraved child sex offender’s life in prison