Second man charged in major child sex abuse investigation, accused rapist Joshua Brown allegedly put bodily fluids in food

Police allege Joshua Brown used his body fluids to tamper with food, while a second man has been charged with rape and bestiality as part of the child sex abuse investigation.

• Every centre where alleged abuser worked
• Phone ban for Victorian childcare workers

Police have charged a second man with dozens of child sexual offences as part of the major probe into alleged daycare predator Joshua Brown.

Michael Simon Wilson, 36, from Hoppers Crossing has been charged with 45 offences, including the rape of a teenage boy at Coburg in April and bestiality.

It comes as police allege Mr Brown used his body fluids to tamper with food.

The allegation comes under the charge recklessly contaminating goods to cause alarm or anxiety.

At this stage there are no more details as to what the charge entails.

Joshua Brown has been charged with more than 70 sexual offences.

Mr Brown’s alleged victims range in age from five months to two years.

More than 1200 children need to be tested for sexually transmitted diseases following Tuesday’s announcement, and it is possible to contract an STI by ingesting bodily fluids.

Though the risk is considered low, both gonorrhoea and chlamydia – which the children are being tested for – can be contracted this way.

On Mr Wilson’s arrest, Victoria Police said in a statement: “The charges relate to an investigation into an incident in Coburg on 16 April where a teenage boy was allegedly sexually assaulted”.

Mr Wilson was remanded to appear at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on September 15.

“As the matter is now before the court, we are not able to comment further on this matter,” police said.

His charges do not involve Victorian childcare centres and do not involve any of Joshua Brown’s alleged victims.

The pair are known to each other but their relationship is unclear.

Mr Wilson appeared at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court for a filing hearing on May 15.

Mr Brown was taken into custody on May 12.

The pair of accused child predators remain behind bars and are both due to appear in court again on September 15.

Details of Mr Wilson’s offending, including where it is alleged to have taken place, are unclear.

His age, location and occupation are also not known.

Earlier on Wednesday, Federal Education Minister Jason Clare revealed the allegations against Mr Brown were discussed at a meeting of education ministers days before impacted families were told.

Mr Clare said the Victorian government informed he and the other state-based education ministers of the more than 70 charges against Melbourne Mr Brown at a meeting last Friday.

Parents at the 20 childcare centres where Mr Brown worked were told on Tuesday.

“I was informed about this just over a week ago by the Victorian government,” Clare told ABC Radio.

“I’m certain that the Victorian government took the steps that they needed to take with police and with the relevant authorities, to make sure that when they advised parents and did so as soon as they possibly could, they were in a position to provide the necessary advice and support for parents.”

Mr Brown has worked at childcare centres across Melbourne.

Mr Brown was unmasked as the alleged child rapist on Tuesday.

It comes as police are bracing for more alleged victims to be identified as detectives investigate a childcare worker accused of abusing at least eight infants and toddlers in one of the state’s most horrific sex assault cases.

Mr Brown was unmasked as the alleged child rapist on Tuesday after he was charged with more than 70 offences.

Mr Brown, 26, is accused of sexually abusing eight victims aged between five months old and just two years old at the Creative Gardens Early Learning Centre in Point Cook.

The accused child rapist worked at the western suburbs centre between October 2021 and February 2024.

He worked at a total of 20 childcare centres across Melbourne – all while holding a valid Working With Children's Check – with the horrified families of children who may have been in contact with Mr Brown notified of his charges on Tuesday.

Authorities on Tuesday urged more than 1200 families to test their children for sexually transmitted infections, adding further torment to the sickening case.

Describing the investigation, police said it was a “proactive” one, that didn’t begin with a victim. Instead, Victoria Police Acting Commander Janet Stevenson said the probe followed a raid on Mr Brown’s Point Cook home where they allegedly discovered a plethora of child abuse material.

Joshua Brown worked at Creative Gardens Early Learning Centre in Point Cook from October 2021 to February 2024. Picture: Supplied

Joshua Brown's alleged offending occurred at Creative Gardens in Point Cook

Acting Commander Stevenson would not elaborate on what evidence or clues the force had before executing the search warrant at his home.

One possibility is that his online activity raised suspicions with either Victorian police or those from other jurisdictions.

“It was very complex … it wasn’t through someone’s complaint; we didn’t have a victim for quite some time,” she said.

Investigators are believed to have moved to arrest Mr Brown just days after learning of the allegations.

His last shift working with children was at Milestones Early Learning in Bundoora on May 8.

He was detained without incident four days later on the morning of May 12.

Police were conscious of the need to move quickly before Mr Brown could return to work.

Sexual Crimes Squad detectives were then confronted with the complex and harrowing task of identifying victims and contacting their parents and guardians.

The case has been the top priority investigation of Victoria Police crime command since the heinous allegations were uncovered.

A number of his 70-plus charges relate to the alleged sexual assault of young children and using technology to offend.

Victoria Police had a suppression order lifted at 8am on Tuesday at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court so Mr Brown’s identity could be made public.

The order was put in place at the request of the force to protect the alleged victims and their families while police continued their investigation.

Acting Commander Stevenson cited safety and awareness for lifting the suppression order.

“We felt that it was really important. This is unique,” she added.

“This is very important to ensure that every parent out there that has a child in childcare knows who he is and where he worked.

“It was an unusual decision but it is before the courts and is (now) public knowledge.”

Chief health officer Christian McGrath said about 2600 families of children who attended the Creative Gardens ELC had been contacted as a precaution.

Premier Jacinta Allan said she was appalled by the allegations and that families across the state would be “angry and frightened”.

“I’m sickened by these allegations of abuse,” she said.

“I do not want to say anything that will compromise justice.”

Premier Jacinta Allan says she is sickened by the allegations. Picture: David Crosling

Four of the centres Mr Brown worked at were run by childcare provider G8 Education.

This included Creative Gardens in Point Cook, where dozens of the alleged offences occurred.

A spokeswoman for G8 Education said during Mr Brown’s employment, all required employment and background checks were current in accordance with legal and regulatory requirements.

“At G8 Education, the safety and wellbeing of every child in our care is our highest priority,” she said.

“We are deeply committed to providing a safe, nurturing, and supportive environment for all children and families.

“We are aware that a former G8 Education team member has been charged with offences involving children. These allegations are serious in nature and are extremely distressing. We are focused on supporting all those impacted not just at our centres, but across the community.”

Australian Childcare Alliance president Paul Mondo said Mr Brown’s alleged behaviour would “horrify all Australians”.

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Four of the centres where Mr Brown worked were run by childcare provider G8 Education.

“Parents will understandably be distraught and distressed and should utilise the supports set up by the Victorian government for affected families,” he said.

“These alleged offences are devastating, first and foremost for the impacted children and families, for all the dedicated educators in our sector who are sickened by these atrocious events and across the broader community

Shine Lawyers Chief Operating Officer Jodie Willey described the allegations as “truly sickening” and said there was a “clear need” for better supervision practices.

“The fact that this alleged offending was carried out over such a long span of time speaks to a significant failing,” she said.

“A lack of proper supervision of staff is one of the recurring themes we’ve seen in other cases we’ve run involving abuse in a childcare setting.

“There is a clear need for better supervision practices to be implemented for staff who are caring for children.”

Originally published as Second man charged in major child sex abuse investigation, accused rapist Joshua Brown allegedly put bodily fluids in food