Overview
- The defendant, David William James, pleaded guilty last December to 11 charges including producing and possessing child sexual abuse material created at OOSH centres in Sydney.
- On Friday, a victim's mother told the Downing Centre court she lives in constant fear, described crippling guilt and said her family changed daily routines to protect her son.
- Australian Federal Police traced explicit images to James via the dark web and located him in June 2024, triggering the prosecution based on material from multiple centres between 2021 and 2024.
- Lawyers are arguing over the admissibility and weight of handwritten notes from James in which he claims he was abused, a dispute that the judge will consider as part of sentencing hearings.
- NSW Police say they were unaware James worked in childcare while employed in a civilian role with the force, prompting renewed scrutiny of casual staffing, disclosure and employer vetting at out‑of‑school centres.