A Sydney childcare worker has admitted to filming the abuse of 10 children in his care at six centres, predominantly in the city’s north and CBD.
David James, 26, faced Sydney’s Downing Centre Local Court via audio-video link from custody on Friday, pleading guilty to a raft of child abuse charges laid by the Australian Federal Police in September last year.
David James was arrested by the Federal Police in September 2024.
The identity of the former NSW Police probationary constable and Knox graduate, as well as the 58 centres he worked at casually, was suppressed for almost a year until the Herald successfully challenged a court order.
He pleaded guilty to child abuse charges between April 2021 and May 2024 at Pyrmont OSHC – City of Sydney; OSHClub – Barker College; Willoughby Kids House; Helping Hands – St Ives Park Public School; St Ives OSHC Centre – Kidzone; and Helping Hands – Lane Cove West.
Detectives from the AFP’s Operation Arctile found evidence he filmed and photographed children at those schools (There is a list of all the centres at which he worked at the bottom of this story.)
James had faced 13 charges, including nine counts of aggravated use of a child to make child abuse material, one count of using a child to make abuse material, two counts of possessing abuse material and one count of refusing officers access to his phone.
He pleaded guilty to a total of 11 child abuse charges and the charge of refusing phone access. The remaining charge – one count of aggravated use of a child to make child abuse material – was withdrawn.
David James’ entry in the Knox Grammar yearbook from 2017.
James was banned from working at centres owned by Primary OSHCare’s parent company Junior Adventures Group, but continued working as a casual with recruitment company Randstad because his Working with Children check was not affected.
