'Parents' worst nightmare' as mystery Sydney childcare worker is hit by more than 100 horrifying new child abuse charges

By CANDACE SUTTON, SENIOR NEWS REPORTER, AUSTRALIA Published: 03:32, 13 July 2026 | Updated: 03:32, 13 July 2026 A father-of-two now faces 329 child abuse-related charges after he was hit with 100 fresh charges - and his name remains secret on an interim basis for his 'family's safety'.  The former Sydney childcare worker was hit with an additional 136 charges on Friday - increasing the number of charges that he faces to 329. The charges include 134 relating to the production of child abuse material or data, while there are 12 counts of intentionally sexually touching a child aged under ten, and 44 aggravated charges of filming a person in a private act or filming their private parts without consent. Police seized more than two million files from the man's devices allegedly containing child abuse images and 500,000 'unique images' of 122 alleged child victims Detectives have accused him of abusing more alleged victims than any other child abuser in Australian history. The accused, who worked in childcare for more than a decade, is also charged with inciting a victim under the age of ten to commit an indecent act, and intentionally inciting a child under ten to perform a sexual act on themselves. The allegations have outraged parents, who want the man's name published and the suppression order on his and his family's identity lifted immediately.  The number of charges laid exceed those against former Brisbane childcare worker Ashley Paul Griffith, dubbed Australia's worst paedophile, who is serving life in jail for raping and abusing nearly 70 young girls.  The father-of-two is fighting to keep his name secret as he is charged with abusing more kids than any other childcare worker in Australian history In contrast to Griffith, whose identity was revealed in 2023 after Queensland scrapped protection laws, the NSW man arguing for his anonymity claims it is vital for his own 'family's safety'. The man's case first appeared last September before Parramatta Local Court, where his identity and details of his business were suppressed by court order.  Outside the court, a parent whose children were in the man's care on a weekly basis was furious about the shroud of secrecy surrounding the allegations against him when others accused of similar crimes had been publicly identified. 'All we want to know is if our kids are in them,' she said, referring to the massive amount of child abuse material allegedly produced or possessed by the man. Now the Australian Federal Police (AFP) intends to publish the locations where he worked, to allow the public to submit information and any additional victims to be identified. AFP Detective Superintendent Luke Needham said investigators were studying more than two million files. He added: 'We know matters like this are a parent’s worst nightmare. 'We have investigators and digital forensic experts working around the clock to methodically review 2.4million electronic files.' The mum of two kids minded by the childcare worker accused of child abuse material and other offences against 122 children said she felt 'disgust, anger, grief, everything' about the allegations The accused man's lawyers have argued the gag order should continue to 'protect both the physical and mental safety' of the man, his wife, his parents and family.     Parramatta Court has heard the man, behind bars on remand since July last year, could risk self-harm or prison retaliation in a jail where he is believed to be under protection. The man's wife has applied to have his name kept secret indefinitely to prevent 'undue stress and embarrassment', Nine newspapers reported. Following the man's arrest in 2025, the court ruled his name, the childcare centres that employed him and their locations would remain under wraps. This was, in part, to allow police to reach out to victims first. However, the AFP has now contacted the parents of the children they have been able to identify, and wants to print the names of each centre that employed the alleged abuser.  'The next steps need public outreach,' AFP solicitor Ellen Trevanion told Parramatta Court. The accused man's lawyers are again set to fight against the application to publish the names and locations of the centres where the alleged offences took place in court on Monday. Campaigners have said that no accused offender should escape scrutiny and that silence does not protect children. The mother who appeared outside the charged man's court hearing last September said she felt 'disgust, anger, grief, everything' about the allegations. She said the man had minded her two children, as well as her nieces and nephews and the children of friends in a mothers' group she belonged to in Sydney.  Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.