A daycare worker has been charged with allegedly filming child abuse material at the centre where he was employed.
The man, aged in his 20s, worked at a childcare centre in Sydney‘s north and was initially arrested by the Australian Federal Police in September.
He was charged with refusing to grant police access to his phone before investigators allegedly found evidence he had abused children under his care.
Evidence suggests the material involved ‘prepubescent boys’, some who were aged between three and six years old.
Police believe the alleged child abuse material was produced between 2021 and July 2024, just weeks before the man was arrested and charged.
The AFP laid ten more charges last week and he faced Sydney’s Downing Centre on Tuesday.
He faces charges including six counts of aggravated use of a child to make abuse material, two counts of sexually touching a child under 10 and two counts of using a child to make abuse material.
A court order has barred news media from publishing his name while investigators identify potential victims.
Court documents obtained by the Sydney Morning Herald laid out a number of disturbing allegations prosecutors intend to pursue in court.
They include claims the man filmed young boys as they used the bathroom at the daycare and pleasured himself in a classroom in front of children.
A prosecutor warned the court that there are ‘child victims yet to be identified’ due to the extensive timeframe of alleged offending.
They argued publication of the charged man’s name, or the name of the daycare centre, should be banned as it ‘would cause hysteria’ among parents whose children attend.
The AFP supported the prosecutor’s request to avoid causing ‘psychological harm’ toward the alleged victims and their parents and carers.
Investigations remain ongoing.
