Latest news with #MichaelSimonWilson
News.com.au
11 hours ago
- News.com.au
First photo of alleged child rapist Michael Simon Wilson revealed
The full identity of an alleged child rapist, linked to a Victorian childcare worker charged with child sexual abuse, has been revealed. Michael Simon Wilson, 36, was charged with child rape and bestiality offences in April, with a first image released of the man on Thursday. The publication of Mr Wilson's charges followed confirmation of charges against childcare worker Joshua Brown on Tuesday. Victorian Police charged Mr Brown with 70 offences after he allegedly abused eight children at a Point Cook childcare centre in Melbourne. It is alleged some children were as young as five months. A widespread investigation has now been launched, with Victoria's chief health officer saying 1200 children have been recommended to undergo infectious diseases testing as a precaution. He is also accused of using his bodily fluids to tamper with food, reported. Mr Wilson and Mr Brown are reportedly known to each other, though the nature of the relationship is unclear. Mr Wilson's alleged offences are not believed to involve childcare centres or any of Mr Brown's alleged victims. Police allege he raped a teenage boy in Hoppers Crossing in April. On Thursday, the Herald Sun reported it was the investigation into Mr Wilson's alleged offending that led them to Mr Brown. Mr Brown was arrested on May 12 and is due to appear at Melbourne Magistrates Court on September 15. Mr Wilson will appear at Melbourne Magistrates Court on the same day. The charges have sparked urgent calls for reform in the childcare sector, with Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan promising immediate action. The state government will immediately begin building a register for childcare workers, she said, and will bring forward a policy to ban personal devices in centres. 'To avoid delay, we'll be putting all Victorian childcare centres on notice,' she said. 'They will be required to adopt this ban on personal devices, effective from September 26. 'Childcare centres who don't comply with this ban will have this placed on them as a condition of licence and may face fines of up to $50,000. The premier will also commission an 'urgent review' into childcare safety, with more details expected at the end of the week. The review will examine the possibility of installing CCTV cameras in centres and the deploying a 'four eyes' principle, meaning children should not be left alone with a single adult. It will also review whether the five-year working with children check time frame should be shortened. Federal Education Minister Jason Clare said on Wednesday the problem of predators in childcare settings was 'serious' and required 'serious action'. 'It's one of the reasons why I put this on the top of the agenda when education ministers met last week,' he said. 'Let me be clear – when education ministers met to discuss child safety last week, we didn't discuss this case, but we discussed – what are the next steps that we need to take as a nation to make sure that our kids are safe in early education and care?' The federal government has already banned personal mobile phones in centres and changed rules around mandatory reporting from seven days to 24 hours following complaints about sexual or physical abuse. Mr Clare promised further reforms, including cutting off funding for centres that fail to meet minimum standards. He also flagged changes to background checks for workers. 'It's taken too long to do the work necessary to make sure that our Working with Children Check system is up to scratch,' he said. 'I've spoken a number of times with the Attorney-General, Michelle Rowland, the new Attorney-General, and I think I can safely speak on her behalf – she agrees, and is determined to take the action necessary here to make sure that our working with children checks across the nation are up to scratch. 'That'll be something that will be discussed by Attorneys-General when they meet next month.' He cautioned that a working with children check was not a 'silver bullet'. 'In too many examples, a perpetrator is eventually caught and arrested and sentenced, there's somebody that got a Working with Children Check because they had no prior criminal record,' he said. 'And so it's only one of the things that we need to focus on here if we're serious about making sure that we keep our kids safe.'
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Yahoo
First photo of alleged child rapist revealed
The full identity of an alleged child rapist, linked to a Victorian childcare worker charged with child sexual abuse, has been revealed. Michael Simon Wilson, 36, has been charged with child rape and bestiality offences, with a first image released of the man on Thursday. The publication of Mr Wilson's charges followed charges against childcare worker Joshua Brown on Tuesday. Victorian Police have charged Mr Brown with 70 offences after he allegedly abused eight children at a Point Cook childcare centre in Melbourne. It is alleged some children were as young as five months. A widespread investigation has now been launched, with Victoria's chief health officer saying 1200 children have been recommended to undergo infectious diseases testing as a precaution. He is also accused of using his bodily fluids to tamper with food, reported. Mr Wilson and Mr Brown are reportedly known to each other, though the nature of the relationship is unclear. Mr Wilson's alleged offences are not believed to involve childcare centres or any of Mr Brown's alleged victims. The police allege he raped a teenage boy in Hoppers Crossing in April. On Thursday, the Herald Sun reported it was the investigation into Mr Wilson's alleged offending that led them to Mr Brown. More to come.
Daily Mail
14 hours ago
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Inside the vile threesome plea of alleged childcare monster's co-accused on wild swingers website - where he hid behind the nickname VIPER
A Melbourne man accused of raping a child, which led police to alleged horrors at a childcare centre, was seeking couples on a dating website under the nickname 'Viper', Daily Mail Australia can reveal. Michael Simon Wilson, 36, was charged with 45 sex offences on Wednesday, including rape, bestiality and possession of child abuse material. Wilson was previously active on an Australian dating website, posting on his profile under the pseudonym Viper15233 that he was 'just out of (a) long relationship' and 'looking to get back out there'. The profile on FlingFinder, a site for people looking for casual sexual encounters, featured Wilson posing in an orange work shirt and specified that he was 'seeking couples'. He added that he was happy to join male-female couples or female-female couples. The 36-year-old, from Hoppers Crossing, allegedly raped a teenage boy on April 16 and while police were investigating that matter, they discovered evidence of allegedly horrific offending by childcare worker Joshua Dale Brown. Brown, 26, from Point Cook in Melbourne 's southwest, is facing more than 70 charges including sexual penetration of a child, producing child abuse material and recklessly contaminating goods to cause alarm or anxiety. The latter charge refers to allegations that he added bodily fluids to children's food. The profile on FlingFinder, a site for people looking for casual sexual encounters, featured Wilson posing in an orange polo shirt and specified that he was 'seeking couples' It is understood Brown and Wilson are known to each other, but Wilson's charges are not related to any childcare centre and involve different alleged victims. Wilson is due to appear in court in September on the same day as Brown. Brown's alleged offending occurred during his time at Creative Garden Early Learning Centre Point Cook, where he worked between October 2021 and February 2024. Although Brown was arrested on May 12, his identity and alleged crimes could not be published until police sought to have a court suppression order lifted on Tuesday. Within a few hours, an alarming warning was issued by the Victorian Department of Health and Victoria Police, urging the parents of 1,200 children to have them tested for infectious diseases. The transmission of STIs via food is low but is increased if a person has cuts or sores. The charges against Brown have prompted the Victorian government to announce it will fast-track reforms to the childcare industry, including a ban on personal devices in childcare centres from September 26. Premier Jacinta Allan said her government would also create a register of childcare workers 'as soon as possible' to provide families with 'an extra layer of checks and balances'. The government has also commissioned an urgent review into the childcare sector, which will take about six weeks. Chief Health Officer Dr Christian McGrath said on Wednesday the testing was out of an 'an abundance of caution... (but) there's not no risk, which is why we are making this recommendation'. Brown worked at 20 childcare centres over an eight-year period between January 2017 and May 2025. Police and health authorities have contacted 2,600 families of children who attended the centres in a bid to have them tested for unnamed diseases. Brown has remained in custody since his arrest in mid-May. His Point Cook home was raided by police shortly after an investigation was launched earlier that same month. He was not known to police before his arrest and had a valid Working With Children Check, which has since been cancelled. Wilson is also being held in custody on remand.
Daily Mail
17 hours ago
- Daily Mail
How police caught alleged childcare predator Joshua Brown - as terrified parents reveal warning signs
The shock arrest of a male childcare worker charged with over 70 child sex offences against infants and toddlers followed a police probe into an 'associate'. Joshua Dale Brown, 26, from Point Cook in Melbourne 's southwest, is facing more than 70 charges including sexual penetration of a child, producing child abuse material and recklessly contaminating goods to cause alarm or anxiety. The latter charge refers to allegations that he added bodily fluids to children's food. The alleged offending occurred during his time at Creative Garden Early Learning Centre Point Cook, where he worked between October 2021 and February 2024. It has now been revealed that police made a breakthrough in their case against him after they investigated the alleged sexual crimes of Michael Simon Wilson. Detectives investigating a rape allegation against Wilson 'uncovered evidence' of alleged acts committed by Brown, the Herald Sun reported. Wilson was charged with 45 child sex offences on Wednesday, including bestiality, rape and possession of child abuse material, according to court documents. It is understood Brown and Wilson are known to each other, but Wilson's charges are not related to any childcare centre and involve different alleged victims. Wilson is due to appear in court in September on the same day as Brown. An investigation into Brown was launched after the execution of a search warrant at his home, which allegedly uncovered a cache of child abuse material. Up to 100 officers, some of whom were parents, were part of the probe following Brown's arrest in May, The Herald reports. 'It has been an emotion bomb,' one police source said, describing the task of contacting the 'next-level devastated' parents and guardians of suspected victims. 'We pulled out all stops. It hasn't stopped since then,' they said. Although Brown was arrested on May 12, his identity and alleged crimes could not be published until police sought to have a court suppression order lifted on Tuesday. Within a few hours, an alarming warning was issued by the Victorian Department of Health and Victoria Police, urging the parents of 1,200 children to have them tested for infectious diseases. The transmission of STIs via food is low but is increased if a person has cuts or sores. Chief Health Officer Dr Christian McGrath said on Wednesday the testing was out of an 'an abundance of caution... (but) there's not no risk, which is why we are making this recommendation'. Brown worked at 20 childcare centres over an eight-year period between January 2017 and May 2025. Police and health authorities have contacted 2,600 families of children who attended the centres in a bid to have them tested for unnamed diseases. Alarmed parents have spoken to the Herald Sun, with a father slamming the Point Cook daycare centre for 'brushing off' concerns he raised over his son, who has autism, and will need to be tested. His son allegedly came home from the centre with bruising from an unknown source in 2023. There is no suggestion Brown had anything to do with the alleged incident. 'The [centre] said there were no concerns ever raised with them in the past,' he said. 'That's bulls*** because I didn't raise the sexual assault thing but I raised with them the marks that were left on my son's arms.' Another distraught father, Justin, said he had to figure out that his seven-year-old daughter was one of those impacted through news reports. 'To go and get a f***ing seven-year-old girl STI tested, and trying to remain calm. I could burst into tears now,' he said. Father-of-three, Satbir, recalled the moment he handed his daughter over to be cared for by an alleged sex offender at the Point Cook centre. 'I dropped off my child into his hands a couple of times,' Satbir told AAP. 'I'm a bit worried, I (need) to find out everything. I've seen him in the classroom where I dropped my children.' A spokesperson for G8 Education, which oversees Creative Garden Point Cook, told the Herald it was taking all allegations very seriously. 'At Creative Garden Point Cook, the safety and wellbeing of all children in our care is our highest priority,' they said. 'We are committed to providing a safe environment for all children and families.' Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan on Wednesday announced an urgent review of childcare safety would be prioritised by her government. Daycare centres will be required to enforce a ban on personal devices from September 26 or be subject to a $50,000 fine.
Daily Mail
17 hours ago
- Daily Mail
BREAKING NEWS Karl Stefanovic clashes with woman calling for ALL male workers to be banned from childcare centres - after 26-year-old man charged with sickening offences shocks Australia
A proposal from a collective of child abuse survivors calling for a ban on male workers in childcare centres has ignited a fierce debate. The proposal comes after two men were charged by sex crimes detectives. Joshua Dale Brown, 26, was accused of abusing eight children aged between five months and two years at one centre in Point Cook. Brown has been charged with 70 offences, including sexual penetration of a child, producing child abuse material and recklessly contaminating goods to cause alarm or anxiety. The latter charge refers to alleged contamination of food with bodily fluids. His arrest triggered a public health alert, with Victoria's Chief Health Officer warning that 1,200 children should get STI testing. Brown had worked at 20 childcare facilities since 2017. On Wednesday it emerged a second man, Michael Simon Wilson, 36, from Hoppers Crossing, had appeared in court on the same day as Brown, charged with child abuse material, sex offences and bestiality. It is understood Michael Simon Wilson's alleged offending not connected to childcare facilities or against same alleged victims as Joshua Dale Brown. Louise Edmonds, who is leading the proposal, spoke with Karl Stefanovic, advocating for a complete ban on male workers in the sector. 'Look, it is extreme for one. But the thing is, we're now seeing this is the third case of huge amounts of children being exposed to alleged paedophiles and alleged child sex abuses in a childcare centre. 'What we're seeing is that less than 8 per cent of male workers are actually in the industry. Stefanovic pushed back, highlighting the challenges already faced by men in the sector. 'Men have a right to work in that area. And so many of them are dedicated. 'The perception is already hard enough for them. And when a story like this happens, it makes it even more difficult for them. But Ms Edmonds argued that the safety of children must come before concerns about gender equality. 'We shouldn't be looking at the equality space in the sector. We actually have to look at the safety first and foremost of our most vulnerable citizens, which are our children, and a lot of them are voiceless. 'So children start communicating well at around two years old. The children under two years old, they cannot speak.' Stefanovic continued to push back highlighting the challenges already faced by men in the sector. 'I get all that But when you're talking about inequality, banning men just for being men, that's the very definition of it But Ms Edmonds stood firm, citing statistics. 'So the sad reality is there's so much lived experience and evidence and data around child sex offenders, and 97 per cent of them are male. 'And this is a scary topic and a lot of people, we don't want to talk about it because it's so horrific when it comes to the abuse of children. As part of her proposal, Edmonds also called for increased surveillance in childcare centre. 'It takes seconds to abuse a child. I'm sorry to say that, but this is the reality. But what we can do with the CCTV, it is linked to a third party child protection agency. 'It is a deterrent if you put it into the areas that are blind spots, like the sleeping quarters, the change tables and the toilets and it is off site, what happens is it deters predators.'
