A 26-year-old Artarmon man has been charged with 13 serious child abuse offences following an Australian Federal Police (AFP) investigation that uncovered disturbing material allegedly produced while he was employed at out-of-school hours (OOSH) care services across Sydney’s northern suburbs and CBD.
The man, who has been in custody since 12 October 2024, is accused of creating child abuse material involving 10 victims, all aged six or younger, between April 2021 and May 2024. The charges include:
- Nine counts of aggravated use of a child under 14 to produce child abuse material (maximum 20 years’ imprisonment each)
- One count of use of a child under 14 to produce child abuse material (14 years)
- Two counts of possessing child abuse material (10 years)
- One count of refusing to provide passcodes under a section 3LA order related to a serious offence (10 years)
AFP Acting Assistant Commissioner Brett James said the case highlights the horrific breach of trust by an individual responsible for caring for young children. “Any form of child sexual abuse is confronting—more so when the alleged offender is someone trusted to care for children,” James said.
“Our investigators have worked meticulously to uncover the full scope of the man’s alleged crimes.”
The AFP began investigating after the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE) detected child abuse material on the dark web in July 2024. A subsequent search of the man’s Artarmon home in September led to the seizure of electronic devices. He was initially arrested for refusing to provide access to those devices and later re-arrested after forensic investigators found alleged abuse content.
Due to the sensitive nature of the case, a court-imposed non-publication order had kept the details confidential. That order was lifted today (31 July 2025), allowing the AFP to publicly disclose the charges and ongoing support efforts.
Authorities confirmed the man worked at six OOSH services where the alleged offences occurred. A coordinated response led by NSW Police, NSW Health, the Department of Communities and Justice, and the Office of the Children’s Guardian has since contacted families whose children may have been affected. Support services have been made available through NSW Health.
As part of the multi-agency response, letters were sent to families on 18 June 2025, providing information about the man’s employment locations and advising on support options. Further inquiries have extended to 52 other care facilities and providers where the man was previously employed, though no offending has been identified at those locations.
A dedicated website under Operation Arctile has been launched to offer information about the investigation, timeframes of employment, and access to support for affected families.
NSW Acting Children’s Guardian Rachael Ward urged all child-related organisations to go beyond compliance and commit fully to Child Safe Standards.
“Most abusers offend multiple times before being caught. Organisations cannot rely solely on the Working with Children Check.”
The man’s legal proceedings continue, with law enforcement urging any concerned families to visit the Operation Arctile website for information and assistance.
Support our Journalism
No-nonsense journalism. No paywalls. Whether you’re in Australia, the UK, Canada, the USA, or India, you can support The Australia Today by taking a paid subscription via Patreon or donating via PayPal — and help keep honest, fearless journalism alive.
