Police given more time to investigate accused pedophile
The childcare worker did not appear for a brief hearing in Melbourne Magistrates Court on Tuesday, when prosecutors applied to extend his committal mention date.
Brown, 26, has been charged with 73 offences relating to the alleged abuse of eight children in his care.
He first faced court on May 12 for a filing hearing but the case was suppressed until Victoria Police released the allegations on July 1.
Brown was due to return to court in September but magistrate Donna Bakos on Tuesday granted the prosecution's application to push his next hearing back to February 10.
She accepted detectives needed more time for their investigation and it was likely more charges would be laid in the interim.
Police will have to serve their brief of evidence to the defence by December 4, the magistrate ordered.
Brown's barrister Rishi Nathwani KC did not oppose the prosecution's application, telling the court he would need time to consider the material as well.
He did fight against charge sheets being released to the media, arguing it was too early given the investigation was ongoing.
"Given the high-profile nature already, it would be terribly unfortunate if charges were released prematurely," Mr Nathwani told the court.
But Ms Bakos noted the charges were on the public record and she was not prepared to restrict access.
"Fair and accurate reporting at this stage requires the nature of the charges to be released," she said.
It's alleged Brown abused eight children aged under two at a Point Cook centre in Melbourne's southwest between April 2022 and January 2023.
The Creative Garden Early Learning Centre was one of the 24 childcare sites Brown worked at across Melbourne between January 2017 and his arrest, Victoria Police say.
The charge sheets state he intentionally sexually touched an unknown child "where the touching was contrary to community standards of acceptable conduct" on 13 separate occasions.
Brown is also accused of producing and transmitting child abuse material, engaging in sexual activity in the presence of children, and sexually penetrating children aged under 12.
The 26-year-old is facing a separate charge of contaminating goods with intent to cause, or being reckless as to whether it would cause, public alarm or anxiety.
Victorian authorities have advised the parents of about 2000 children who crossed paths with Brown to get them tested for infectious diseases after he allegedly contaminated food with bodily fluids.
Brown's co-accused Michael Simon Wilson, 36, also did not appear in court on Tuesday, although prosecutors sought an extension of his committal mention date.
Wilson will return to Melbourne Magistrates Court on November 15, with detectives given until October 4 to compile the brief of evidence.
He is facing charges including rape, possessing child abuse material, sex offences and bestiality.
1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)
National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028
Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800 (for people aged 5 to 25)
Accused pedophile Joshua Dale Brown's court case has been delayed because detectives need more time to gather evidence against him.
The childcare worker did not appear for a brief hearing in Melbourne Magistrates Court on Tuesday, when prosecutors applied to extend his committal mention date.
Brown, 26, has been charged with 73 offences relating to the alleged abuse of eight children in his care.
He first faced court on May 12 for a filing hearing but the case was suppressed until Victoria Police released the allegations on July 1.
Brown was due to return to court in September but magistrate Donna Bakos on Tuesday granted the prosecution's application to push his next hearing back to February 10.
She accepted detectives needed more time for their investigation and it was likely more charges would be laid in the interim.
Police will have to serve their brief of evidence to the defence by December 4, the magistrate ordered.
Brown's barrister Rishi Nathwani KC did not oppose the prosecution's application, telling the court he would need time to consider the material as well.
He did fight against charge sheets being released to the media, arguing it was too early given the investigation was ongoing.
"Given the high-profile nature already, it would be terribly unfortunate if charges were released prematurely," Mr Nathwani told the court.
But Ms Bakos noted the charges were on the public record and she was not prepared to restrict access.
"Fair and accurate reporting at this stage requires the nature of the charges to be released," she said.
It's alleged Brown abused eight children aged under two at a Point Cook centre in Melbourne's southwest between April 2022 and January 2023.
The Creative Garden Early Learning Centre was one of the 24 childcare sites Brown worked at across Melbourne between January 2017 and his arrest, Victoria Police say.
The charge sheets state he intentionally sexually touched an unknown child "where the touching was contrary to community standards of acceptable conduct" on 13 separate occasions.
Brown is also accused of producing and transmitting child abuse material, engaging in sexual activity in the presence of children, and sexually penetrating children aged under 12.
The 26-year-old is facing a separate charge of contaminating goods with intent to cause, or being reckless as to whether it would cause, public alarm or anxiety.
Victorian authorities have advised the parents of about 2000 children who crossed paths with Brown to get them tested for infectious diseases after he allegedly contaminated food with bodily fluids.
Brown's co-accused Michael Simon Wilson, 36, also did not appear in court on Tuesday, although prosecutors sought an extension of his committal mention date.
Wilson will return to Melbourne Magistrates Court on November 15, with detectives given until October 4 to compile the brief of evidence.
He is facing charges including rape, possessing child abuse material, sex offences and bestiality.
1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)
National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028
Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800 (for people aged 5 to 25)
Accused pedophile Joshua Dale Brown's court case has been delayed because detectives need more time to gather evidence against him.
The childcare worker did not appear for a brief hearing in Melbourne Magistrates Court on Tuesday, when prosecutors applied to extend his committal mention date.
Brown, 26, has been charged with 73 offences relating to the alleged abuse of eight children in his care.
He first faced court on May 12 for a filing hearing but the case was suppressed until Victoria Police released the allegations on July 1.
Brown was due to return to court in September but magistrate Donna Bakos on Tuesday granted the prosecution's application to push his next hearing back to February 10.
She accepted detectives needed more time for their investigation and it was likely more charges would be laid in the interim.
Police will have to serve their brief of evidence to the defence by December 4, the magistrate ordered.
Brown's barrister Rishi Nathwani KC did not oppose the prosecution's application, telling the court he would need time to consider the material as well.
He did fight against charge sheets being released to the media, arguing it was too early given the investigation was ongoing.
"Given the high-profile nature already, it would be terribly unfortunate if charges were released prematurely," Mr Nathwani told the court.
But Ms Bakos noted the charges were on the public record and she was not prepared to restrict access.
"Fair and accurate reporting at this stage requires the nature of the charges to be released," she said.
It's alleged Brown abused eight children aged under two at a Point Cook centre in Melbourne's southwest between April 2022 and January 2023.
The Creative Garden Early Learning Centre was one of the 24 childcare sites Brown worked at across Melbourne between January 2017 and his arrest, Victoria Police say.
The charge sheets state he intentionally sexually touched an unknown child "where the touching was contrary to community standards of acceptable conduct" on 13 separate occasions.
Brown is also accused of producing and transmitting child abuse material, engaging in sexual activity in the presence of children, and sexually penetrating children aged under 12.
The 26-year-old is facing a separate charge of contaminating goods with intent to cause, or being reckless as to whether it would cause, public alarm or anxiety.
Victorian authorities have advised the parents of about 2000 children who crossed paths with Brown to get them tested for infectious diseases after he allegedly contaminated food with bodily fluids.
Brown's co-accused Michael Simon Wilson, 36, also did not appear in court on Tuesday, although prosecutors sought an extension of his committal mention date.
Wilson will return to Melbourne Magistrates Court on November 15, with detectives given until October 4 to compile the brief of evidence.
He is facing charges including rape, possessing child abuse material, sex offences and bestiality.
1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)
National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028
Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800 (for people aged 5 to 25)
Accused pedophile Joshua Dale Brown's court case has been delayed because detectives need more time to gather evidence against him.
The childcare worker did not appear for a brief hearing in Melbourne Magistrates Court on Tuesday, when prosecutors applied to extend his committal mention date.
Brown, 26, has been charged with 73 offences relating to the alleged abuse of eight children in his care.
He first faced court on May 12 for a filing hearing but the case was suppressed until Victoria Police released the allegations on July 1.
Brown was due to return to court in September but magistrate Donna Bakos on Tuesday granted the prosecution's application to push his next hearing back to February 10.
She accepted detectives needed more time for their investigation and it was likely more charges would be laid in the interim.
Police will have to serve their brief of evidence to the defence by December 4, the magistrate ordered.
Brown's barrister Rishi Nathwani KC did not oppose the prosecution's application, telling the court he would need time to consider the material as well.
He did fight against charge sheets being released to the media, arguing it was too early given the investigation was ongoing.
"Given the high-profile nature already, it would be terribly unfortunate if charges were released prematurely," Mr Nathwani told the court.
But Ms Bakos noted the charges were on the public record and she was not prepared to restrict access.
"Fair and accurate reporting at this stage requires the nature of the charges to be released," she said.
It's alleged Brown abused eight children aged under two at a Point Cook centre in Melbourne's southwest between April 2022 and January 2023.
The Creative Garden Early Learning Centre was one of the 24 childcare sites Brown worked at across Melbourne between January 2017 and his arrest, Victoria Police say.
The charge sheets state he intentionally sexually touched an unknown child "where the touching was contrary to community standards of acceptable conduct" on 13 separate occasions.
Brown is also accused of producing and transmitting child abuse material, engaging in sexual activity in the presence of children, and sexually penetrating children aged under 12.
The 26-year-old is facing a separate charge of contaminating goods with intent to cause, or being reckless as to whether it would cause, public alarm or anxiety.
Victorian authorities have advised the parents of about 2000 children who crossed paths with Brown to get them tested for infectious diseases after he allegedly contaminated food with bodily fluids.
Brown's co-accused Michael Simon Wilson, 36, also did not appear in court on Tuesday, although prosecutors sought an extension of his committal mention date.
Wilson will return to Melbourne Magistrates Court on November 15, with detectives given until October 4 to compile the brief of evidence.
He is facing charges including rape, possessing child abuse material, sex offences and bestiality.
1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)
National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028
Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800 (for people aged 5 to 25)
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Perth Now
an hour ago
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Labor is proposing changes to cut federal funding for childcare providers that 'aren't up to scratch' after horrific allegations of sexual abuse at a centre in Melbourne. Earlier this month, Victoria Police revealed Joshua Dale Brown, 26, had been charged with more than 70 offences, including sexual activity in the presence of a child under 16 and possession of child abuse material. He was a worker at Creative Garden Early Learning Centre in Point Cook and had a working with children check. The alleged abuse sparked national outrage, forcing Labor to act on royal commission recommendations made under the former Coalition government. Education Minister Jason Clare said on Wednesday the legislation aimed to bring about the 'standards that parents need and that our children deserve' by giving the Commonwealth powers 'to cut access to the childcare subsidy for centres that aren't up to scratch'. Alleged pedophile Joshua Brown was a worker at the Creative Garden Early Learning Centre in Point Cook. Supplied Credit: News Corp Australia 'I think the whole country has been sickened and shocked by the (allegations) that have come out of Victoria in the last few weeks, and a lot of work is needed to rebuild trust in a system that parents rely upon every single day,' Mr Clare told reporters. 'The biggest weapon that the Commonwealth has to wield here is the funding that we provide that enables childcare centres to operate – it's something like $16bn a year, and that covers about 70 per cent of the cost of running the average childcare centre. 'Childcare centres can't operate without it and I think it's fair.' He went on to say 'most mums and dads will think it's fair that if centres are repeatedly not meeting the sort of standards that we set for them that we should have the power to be able to cut that funding off'. 'This is not about shutting centres down, it's about lifting standards up and giving us the powers to make that happen,' Mr Clare said. Mr Clare will introduce the bill into the House of Represenatives, where Labor commands a massive 94-seat majority. It is also unlikely to meet resistance in the Senate, with Coalition saying it is willing to work with the government on strengthening childcare safety. Education Minister Jason Clare (left) says cutting federal funds to dodgy childcare centres is the 'biggest weapon' Labor has. Martin Ollman / NewsWire Credit: News Corp Australia Speaking to Sky News, Opposition Leader Sussan Ley welcomed the quick action. 'I'm pleased with the government's efforts around childcare, because it's too important to get that wrong,' she said. 'And I have said, we want to be above politics in the interests of parents and families who have just been horrified at these stories.' Last week, Attorney-General Michelle Rowland also vowed action on a national Working With Children check system. This is something we are actively doing now,' she told Sky News on Sunday. 'I've been in direct contact with my counterparts … engaging with them about the need to have reform in this area.' Ms Rowland said many would be 'shocked' to learn this was actually a recommendation coming out of a 2015 series of responses on the Royal Commission into child sexual abuse. 'We're now in 2025. What is important here is that we have action,' Mr Rowland said. 'The federal government has not been idle.' 'We have been undertaking work to ensure that we do have some mechanisms that are in place.' Working With Children checks currently take place at a state and territory level. States and territories do not need to talk to each other about their processes or violations and there is no federal oversight.
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