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Man, 26, charged with producing child abuse material during work at after school care

Police have shared new details on an after-school childcare worker charged with using 10 students in his care, aged six and under, to produce child abuse material.

A 26-year-old man has been charged with allegedly using his position as an after-school care worker to produce child abuse material with 10 children aged six and under.

Australian Federal Police officers allege David William James produced child abuse material of 10 victims, the oldest being six years old.

It is further alleged Mr James’ offending was linked to his employment with six different out-of-school hours (OOSH) care services in North Sydney and the CBD between April 2021 and May 2024.

Mr James was training to be a NSW Police officer at the time of some of his alleged offending. He was employed as a probationary constable from December 2021 to September 2022, and continued in a civilian capacity after failing to pass probation until he resigned in May 2023.

Mr James was removed from the police force over his failure to tell NSW Police he was simultaneously working in childcare.

“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,” a spokesman said.

“We acknowledge the seriousness of the allegations and condemn any behaviour that places our community’s most vulnerable members at risk.”

The content was allegedly located on the dark web, prompting a police raid of the man’s home on September 25 2024, where a mobile phone and other electronic devices were seized.

Mr James allegedly refused to provide his passcodes to police and was charged over the refusal.

Acting Assistant Commissioner Brett James speaks to the media during a press conference addressing the arrest of a Sydney man charged with allegedly producing child abuse material. NewsWire / Flavio Brancaleone
Acting Assistant Commissioner Brett James speaks to the media during a press conference addressing the arrest of a Sydney man charged with allegedly producing child abuse material. NewsWire / Flavio Brancaleone

He was on bail for the alleged offence when investigators, who had since accessed his devices and allegedly located child abuse material, arrested him on October 11. He has been remanded in custody since his arrest, but details of his alleged offending can only now be shared, after non-publication orders from a court were revoked.

His matter will return to the Downing Centre Local Court in three weeks.

He is facing a maximum penalty of 20 years imprisonment.

While most of the claims outlined in court documents, seen by NewsWire, are too distressing for publication, they include allegations the man filmed young boys while they used the bathroom at various daycare centres in Sydney.

He is also accused of masturbating in front of children at two of the centres.

The allegations occurred in circumstances of aggravation, according to court documents, namely the child was under his “authority”.

The families of alleged victims identified from the material have been notified, and support has been offered and provided by NSW Health.

Letters were sent to other families who had a child enrolled at one of the six Sydney care services where the man had been employed and evidence of alleged offending had been identified.

A further 52 OOSH care facilities and other providers that had employed the man have been identified and contacted, though police said there is no evidence to suggest any alleged offending took place at these facilities.

About 1200 families and carers who may have come into contact with Mr James have been sent letters, the Herald reported.

AFP Acting Assistant Commissioner Brett James said officers would provide ongoing support to families affected by the alleged offending.

Acting Assistant Commissioner Brett James issued a stern warning to offenders at a press conference. Picture: NewsWire / Flavio Brancaleone
Acting Assistant Commissioner Brett James issued a stern warning to offenders at a press conference. Picture: NewsWire / Flavio Brancaleone

“The AFP and our partners are committed to supporting those families whose children’s innocence was allegedly violated by a man trusted to take care of them,” he said.

“Any form of child sexual abuse is confronting. Even more so when the alleged perpetrator is an individual trusted with the care of our youth.”

‘Confronting’

Commissioner James told reporters on Thursday detectives worked tirelessly to examine some 142,000 files (or 18.9GB) of material to uncover the child abuse material.

While not all of the files were child abuse material, the commissioner explained, the work of detectives to investigate all files should be applauded.

“Any form of child sexual abuse is confronting,” he told reporters.

“Even more so when the alleged perpetrator is a person entrusted with the care of our children.”

Commissioner James went on to share a stern warning to alleged perpetrators.

“These pedophiles seem to think they can work under the cover of encryption and the dark web,” he said.

“I need to be very clear the AFP can see you … we are working diligently, so if you think you’re under the cover of darkness you are not and were coming after you. “

The offenders are “preying on young vulnerable people in our community”, Commissioner James added.

“I’m not going to go into the detail of the material just out of respect for the victims,” he said.

Commissioner James said the “painstaking” process of victim identification is “victim-led”.

“It is crucial to identify all the victims,” he said.

“Parents and carers can be extremely distressed when they learn of criminal and predatory behaviour through the media before police speak to them.

“The victims and their families are our key priorities.”

Police have notified all families affected by the alleged offending. Source: Supplied
Police have notified all families affected by the alleged offending. Source: Supplied

Commissioner James said the AFP had scrutinised all evidence available to them to confirm the scale and scope of the 26-year-old’s alleged offending.

“There is no evidence to suggest the man’s alleged offending took place in out-of-school-hours facilities or other care providers which have not yet been contacted by law enforcement,” he said.

“If parents are concerned, please visit the website dedicated to supporting families and the community seeking further information about the AFP investigation.”

This week urgent childcare reforms passed the lower house of parliament in Canberra.

The reform bill would give the Commonwealth government power to cut off funding to child care centres which do not meet the National Quality Standards for safety and quality.

Centres which put kids at risk are in danger of having their funding totally cut. Any illegal activity would also be grounds to lose public funding.

Government staff will also be given the power to do unannounced spot-checks.

The reforms were expedited in the wake of Victorian police laying more than 70 charges on Melbourne childcare worker Joshua Dale Brown. He faces allegations including sexual activity in the presence of a child under 16, sexual assault of a child under 16 and possessing child abuse material. He has yet to enter pleas to the charges.

Joshua Dale Brown has been arrested and charged for alleged offending across Melbourne childcare centres. Picture: Channel 9
Joshua Dale Brown has been arrested and charged for alleged offending across Melbourne childcare centres. Picture: Channel 9

Police pushed to have a suppression order on Mr Brown’s identity dropped, and health authorities have alerted the parents and carers of 2000 children to get their kids tested for sexually transmitted infections.

Mr Brown’s case was made public on July 1 after the suppression order was lifted, with police alleging Mr Brown abused eight children between the ages of five months and two years old.

Since then, police have established Mr Brown worked at 23 childcare centres across Melbourne between January 2017 and May 2025.

On July 15, Victoria Police said establishing Mr Brown’s work history had been “extremely complex” due to childcare providers not having centralised records.

In August, education ministers will meet to discuss a national register of early childhood educators. The state, territory and federal Attorney-Generals will also discuss working with children check reforms, at their meeting next month.

Originally published as Man, 26, charged with producing child abuse material during work at after school care

Original URL: https://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/news/breaking-news/man-26-charged-with-producing-child-abuse-material-during-work-at-after-school-care/news-story/dccca2e8e1c388d2d10696215dd9b703