‘Now I think back and with him contaminating … it’s just actually really sick and disgusting,’ mum’s horror at Joshua Brown case

A mum says alleged pedophile Joshua Brown often helped out in the childcare kitchen baking cakes and making Rocky Road, which has raised alarm bells after the revelation he allegedly used bodily fluid to tamper with food.

More children will likely need to be tested for STIs after it was revealed the accused childcare pedophile worked at one centre for months longer than first thought.

Parents have recounted extra days they’ve seen Joshua Brown at their centres, which fall outside the dates first listed on the state government’s website.

This includes one mum, Jennifer Lay, who recalled how the alleged predator was working at a Father’s Day event at Papilio Early Learning in Essendon last September — five months before it was initially reported he had started working there.

Accused childcare pedophile Joshua Brown worked at one centre for months longer than first thought.

A spokeswoman for Affinity Education — which oversees childcare centres including Papilio Early Learning, Milestones Early Learning and Kids Academy — said the childcare provider was currently reviewing its records following allegations the dates were incorrect.

“Given the serious nature of the matter, we are currently reviewing our records in detail to ensure completeness,” she said.

“Affinity Education continues to co-operate fully with authorities and remains focused on the safety and wellbeing of the children and families in our care.”

It’s understood initial payroll documentation supplied to Victoria Police didn’t account for all the days Mr Brown was working at the centres, leading to the discrepancy.

Police at Papilio Early Learning in Essendon where Mr Brown worked.

It comes as parents, who are still piecing together the horror allegations that emerged this week, told the Herald Sun Mr Brown was known as a “strange but friendly” character who often made Rocky Road for the kids.

Ms Lay, whose two-year-old son attended the Papilio Early Learning centre in Essendon, recalled the quick exchanges she had with Mr Brown back when her child was in his care.

“He was so friendly, he would be like ‘see you tomorrow’, you’d have that quick exchange,” she said.

Jennifer Lay said Mr Brown was a ‘strange but friendly’ character.

“Sometimes his character was a bit strange, he always would be in the corner and observe the whole room. I always thought he was a little bit weird, but I thought who am I to judge?”

Ms Lay said he often helped out in the kitchen and “baked cakes” at the centre — a sentiment which has now raised alarm bells for the mother after she heard he allegedly used bodily fluid to tamper with food.

“He would bake cakes and make this Rocky Road which everyone knew was his thing … he gave that to our children and gave that to us for morning tea,” she said.

“But now I think back and with him contaminating … it’s just actually really sick and disgusting that he’s actually gone to that point.”

Mr Brown baked cakes and made Rocky Road for children.

Mr Brown reportedly called in saying he couldn’t come into work “due to family issues” on the day he was arrested, according to Ms Lay.

The second man charged as part of the police investigation was also unmasked on Thursday.

Michael Simon Wilson was publicly identified as the second man charged with more than 40 offences which relate to child sexual abuse and bestiality.

He is not a childcare worker.

The 36-year-old’s face was made public by the Herald Sun on Thursday afternoon.

Michael Simon Wilson has been publicly identified as the second man charged in the child sexual abuse investigation.

He is in custody after he was accused of raping a teenage boy at Hoppers Crossing on April 16.

The Herald Sun on Thursday revealed that detectives probing Mr Wilson’s alleged offending led them to alleged daycare predator Mr Brown.

The pair of accused pedophiles are linked but their alleged victims are not the same.

A former colleague of Mr Wilson described him as strange.

He said Mr Wilson is the father to a young girl.

He and Mr Brown will face Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on September 15.

Originally published as ‘Now I think back and with him contaminating … it’s just actually really sick and disgusting,’ mum’s horror at Joshua Brown case