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Posted: 2023-08-01 05:00:27

Some alleged victims are now older than 18.

A further four children were overseas and police were working to identify them.

AFP Assistant Commissioner Justine Gough said she knew the news would be deeply distressing.

AFP Assistant Commissioner Justine Gough said she knew the news would be deeply distressing.Credit: AFP

NSW police issued a first-instance warrant for the man’s future extradition for the NSW alleged offences, which include 68 counts of sexual intercourse with a child under 10, and 42 counts of aggravated sexual intercourse with a child under 10.

“The man had all the qualifications to work in childcare centres that he worked across Queensland and NSW,” Gough said, adding the case was still before the courts.

Police arrested the man in Brisbane’s south-western suburbs about 1am on August 21 last year, and he was initially charged with making child exploitation material and using a carriage service for child pornography material.

Queensland detectives had initially found alleged child abuse images and videos on the dark web in 2014, Gough said, and while they were posted on an international victim identification site, at the time there were few distinguishable clues for police to follow.

“But in August 2022, the AFP was able to trace objects identified in the background of the alleged images and videos posted on the dark web between 2013 and 2014 to a Brisbane childcare centre,” she said.

Gough said police had worked tirelessly to identify the victims.

“Given there were so many alleged images and videos of children recorded over 15 years on the alleged offender’s devices, the process of identification took time, skill and determination,” Gough said.

She said the AFP provided evidence to NSW to begin an investigation in Sydney. Police were confident that while the man worked at other centres, he did not commit offences there, Gough said.

NSW police force Assistant Commissioner Michael Fitzgerald said the alleged victims were identified on hard drives after police obtained a search warrant.

“It’s beyond the realms of anyone’s imagination what this person did to these children,” he said.

“I can only say, you try not to be shocked after a long period of time in the police and crime reporting, but this is a horrific case.”

The man’s case is scheduled for the Brisbane Magistrates Court on August 21.

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