Parents and staff made complaints about alleged childcare pedo David James in 2023 and 2024

Parents and staff made complaints about an alleged childcare pedophile before he was charged with filming children at six Sydney centres. He worked across 58 locations from 2018-2024.

The accused childcare worker had worked at almost 60 centres across Sydney. Picture: iStock

Complaints were made about an alleged childcare pedophile and former police officer who worked at nearly 60 services across Sydney, years before he was charged with abusing the kids in his care.

Australian Federal Police allege 26-year-old David James used 10 boys aged between five and six to produce child abuse material, at six out-of-school-hours (OOSH) centres in central and northern Sydney.

Those centres were St Ives Public School’s “Kidzone” operated by Primary OSHCare, the City of Sydney Council-run OOSH in Pyrmont, Willoughby Kids House, the Lane Cove West Public School and St Ives Park Public School services operated by Helping Hands, and Barker College’s OSHClub-operated service.

James’ identity – and history as a NSW police officer who failed his probationary period – were made public for the first time today (Thursday) after court orders suppressing details including his name and his employers’ were lifted.

In total, police have identified 58 services at which James worked at least one shift between 2018 and 2024.

The Daily Telegraph can reveal some parents and staff raised complaints about James between 2022 and 2023, while he was engaged on a casual basis through recruitment firm Randstad Australia.

AFP Assistant Commissioner Brett James at a press conference on Thursday. Picture: NewsWire / Flavio Brancaleone

One mother said she was aware of an incident where a parent made a complaint about James’ conduct to an after school centre.

The Daily Telegraph has also been told that, on a subsequent occasion, an educator at a different after-school care provider had an “uncomfortable interaction” with James and made a formal report.

In September 2024, James was charged with offences related to his alleged refusal to give child protection investigators access to his electronic devices, which were seized amid the AFP’s Operation Arctile dark web investigation.

It’s understood he was immediately stood down and his Working with Children Check was revoked as soon as he was charged.

Officers broke into the devices regardless and allegedly found child abuse material, including both pictures and videos, hidden within the 142,000 files stored on them.

James now faces 13 charges in total, including 10 counts of using a child under 14 to make child abuse material – nine of those being aggravated offences carrying a maximum 20 years in prison.

The revelations have prompted a frenzy of concern and fear from families, with centre operators seeking to placate worried parents.

Melinda Crole, chief executive of Junior Adventures Group, which runs three of the centres where James’ offending is alleged to have taken place, said she too had only just learned the details of the alleged crimes on Thursday.

“We fully understand how distressing this matter is, and we share the immense upset and concern surrounding it. We have been co-operating with police and doing all that we can to assist them in their investigation,” she said.

AFP Assistant Commissioner Brett James sought to reassure parents and carers that they had no evidence to suggest James allegedly offended at any of the other centres - however police could not rule out that there are other potential victims.

“What you’ll find (is at) some of the centres he might have worked one shift, and some of the centres, he might have worked a lot of shifts,” he said.

“It is important to note that all of the impacted families have been contacted by the AFP and NSW Health,” an AFP spokesman said.

“Support services have been offered and continue to be provided.”

When asked if police were concerned that the alleged perpetrator had been able to work at nearly 60 locations over six years, the assistant commissioner said that was “a matter for industry”.

NSW Police issued a statement confirming James’ employment with them previously.

“During his employment, the man failed to seek the required approval to engage in secondary employment, and as such, police were unaware of his concurrent role in the childcare sector,” the statement read.