A male childcare worker accused of abusing 10 children has been unmasked after the Herald successfully fought a year-long court order that prevented the public from knowing his name and former employment as a police officer.
The names of all the centres where alleged paedophile David James worked, almost 60 in total, can now be revealed.
James was initially charged with refusing to grant police access to his phone by the Australian Federal Police as part of a dark web investigation known as Operation Arctile in September last year. Investigators quickly found alleged evidence that he had filmed and photographed children in his care.
He is facing 13 offences with 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.
Court documents, seen by the Herald last year, suggest James allegedly filmed “pre-pubescent boys”.
Police allege James recorded explicit photos of 10 children aged five to six at six centres “through his employment at out-of-school hours care (OSHC) facilities in the northern suburbs of Sydney between April 2021 and May 2024”.
Most allegations are too graphic to publish, but include claims the man filmed young boys as they used the bathroom at the daycare.
He also allegedly pleasured himself in a classroom in front of children.
On Thursday, the Herald contested the suppression order, arguing it was time to unmask James as the families of all his alleged victims had been notified.
James’ lawyers protested, but prosecutors and ultimately Deputy Chief Magistrate Michael Antrum agreed, lifting the order immediately.
James was employed as a probationary constable from December 2021 to September 2022 and, after failing to complete his probation, continued in a civilian capacity until his resignation in May 2023.
He was ejected from the NSW Police Force because he was unable to perform to their standards. Police were never aware he was also working part-time in childcare at the time.
Source: David James: Sydney childcare worker, alleged paedophile’s past workplaces revealed
I don’t know what one does with paedophiles.
Sending them to ‘sex offender’ classes and counselling is akin to hoping to ‘cure’ homosexuals with ‘conversion therapy’.
The law does not allow gaol terms of adequate duration for offenders such as this. They are, literally, never safe.
I’ve worked with a few of them before I had children. They are never wrong, only ‘misunderstood’.
After I had kids I was no longer able to be objective really…