02-08-2025
Alleged childcare predator continued working despite being stood down after alleged 'uncomfortable' incident
A childcare worker accused of indecently filming pre-pubescent boys was allowed to continue working despite being stood down and reported to the regulator after his colleague allegedly witnessed an 'uncomfortable' incident with a child.
David William James, 26, allegedly abused children at Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) facilities across Sydney between April 2021 and May 2024.
Police allege James photographed or filmed ten victims aged five to six while working at six out-of-school-hours (OOSH) care centres in the city's north and CBD.
James' identity had been kept secret for the past nine months until a suppression order was lifted in Downing Centre Local Court on Thursday.
He was employed as a casual worker through staffing agency Randstad Education and worked at 58 OOSH centres.
One of his colleagues reported feeling 'uncomfortable' after witnessing an alleged interaction between him and a child at Mowbray Public School's Primary OSCare, in Lane Cove North, in June 2024.
Parent company for Mowbray Public School's Primary OSCare, Junior Adventures Group (JAG), confirmed NSW Police and the Office of the Children's Guardian were notified of the alleged incident, which is separate to the police investigation.
James was stood down from Mowbray Public School's Primary OSCare and he was subsequently banned from working at JAG centres. But the ban did not affect his Working with Children Check (WWCC) and he continued working for Randstad.
A JAG spokeswoman said James was let go because of staff members' 'concerns'.
'The individual was stood down after concerns were raised about a separate incident that is not part of the current police investigation,' she told the Sydney Morning Herald.
'When the concerns were raised, JAG immediately took action, notifying NSW Police and the NSW Office of the Children's Guardian.'
A WWCC is only affected if there is a sustained finding made under the Reportable Conduct Scheme, the Office of the Children's Guardian states.
However, reporting inappropriate conduct does not always result in a person being barred from working with children.
In some instances, the Office of the Children's Guardian can put an interim bar on an individual's working with children, however this was not done in James' case.
Parents from Lane Cove West Public School, where James once worked, were shocked to find he retained his employment despite the complaints against him.
One parent claimed the WWCC was 'obviously not comprehensive enough', while another labelled the situation a 'travesty' and an 'abomination'.
It was revealed last month, before James' name could be published, that 1,200 letters were to parents and carers who may have crossed paths with him (pictured)
Randstad Education has also released a statement in light of the allegations.
'We are deeply disturbed by the allegations, and we extend our deepest sympathies to the children and families impacted by the alleged offending,' they said.
'Screening of workers, including for the accused, is conducted in accordance with best practice in Child Safe recruitment principles.'
Last month, 1,200 letters were sent to parents and carers whose children may have come into contact with James.
The letters were sent as part of a process led by NSW Police and the AFP under the Joint Child Protection Response Program.
Investigators asked parents and carers who received the letter to read it carefully, including instructions for contacting a hotline with any relevant concerns.
'Based on information currently available, investigators believe the alleged behaviour of the man involves a very small number of children, however, the parents and carers of any child who may have had contact with the man have received a letter,' the AFP said in a statement.
On Thursday, AFP acting Assistant Commissioner Brett James said the investigation was launched after child abuse material was detected on the dark web in June 2024.
The 26-year-old attended Knox Grammar at Wahroonga (pictured) until 2017 and worked part-time at 58 child care facilities between 2018 and 2024
He said police had examined 142,000 files on the alleged paedophile's devices which amounted to 18.9GB of material.
Daily Mail understands that police will allege James filmed boys using the toilet and pleasured himself while in a classroom in front of children.
He attended the prestigious private school Knox Grammar until 2017 and was a probationary police constable between December 2021 and September 2022.
He failed to finish his probation period and resigned from the NSW Police Force in May 2023 after a stint working in a civilian capacity.
NSW Police confirmed James was rejected by the force because he had failed to disclose his part-time childcare employment.
'During his employment, the man failed to seek the required approval to engage in secondary employment, and as such, police were unaware of his concurrent role in the childcare sector,' a police spokesperson said.
'We acknowledge the seriousness of the allegations and condemn any behaviour that places our community's most vulnerable members at risk.'
James was initially charged last September with refusing to grant Australian Federal Police access to his phone and was arrested again a month later when he was charged with further offences.
He has been charged with nine counts of aggravated use of a child to make child abuse material, one count of using a child to make abuse material, two counts of possessing abuse material and one count of refusing officers access to his phone.
James has been refused bail since October and will next face court on August 21.
Full list of places where alleged abuser David James worked
Artarmon Before and After School Care: Willoughby City Council - June 2019
Bales Park OOSH Services - December 2018
Beacon Hill Vacation Care: Northern Beaches Council - December 2018
Camp Australia: Artarmon - February - December 2022
Camp Australia: St Andrews Cathedral - June 2018
Camp Australia: St Luke's Grammar School - April 2018
Chatswood ASC & VC: Willoughby City Council - November 2018
Cromer Vacation Care: Northern Beaches Council - January 2020
Cubby House: Artarmon - June to August 2019
Forestville Vacation Care: Northern Beaches Council - July 2018 to April 2022
The Girls & Boys Brigade: Surry Hills - November 2020
Gowrie NSW Erskineville Outside of School Hours Care - June 2018 to February 2019
Gowrie NSW: North Sydney Community VC - April 2023
Helping Hands: Bourke Street - March 2019 to April 2024
Helping Hands: Lane Cove West - April 2018 to September 2024
Helping Hands: North Ryde - May 2018 to August 2023
Helping Hands: St Ives Park Public School - December 2023 to May 2024
Helping Hands: Willoughby Public School - April 2018 to December 2022
Hornsby South Before and After School Care - May 2018
Jigsaw: Anzac Park Public School - May 2018
KGV OSHC: City of Sydney - November 2018 to April 2022
KidsCo Australia: Virtual Holiday Program - July to August 2021
Knox Grammar High School - March 2018 to July 2020
Knox Grammar School OSHClub - May 2024
Manly Vale VC: Northern Beaches Council - April 2019 to July 2022
North Shore Coaching College - July 2023 to September 2024
OSHClub: Barker College - May 2018 to May 2024
OSHClub: Beaumont Road - May 2018 to April 2023
OSHClub: Fort Street - May 2018
OSHClub: Highfields - April to November 2018
OSHClub: Hornsby South - August 2018 to July 2023
OSHClub: Knox Grammar Preparatory - May 2018 to February 2020
OSHClub: Newington Lindfield - February 2020
OSHClub: Smalls Road - February 2022 to August 2023
Our Lady of Good Counsel OSHC: Forestville - August 2018 to March 2019
Our Lady of the Rosary OSHC: Waitara - October 2018
Primary OSHCare: Chatswood - September 2019 to March 2020
Primary OSHCare: Forestville - February 2021
Primary OSHCare: Frenchs Forest - September 2022
Primary OSHCare: Killarney Heights - January 2023
Primary OSHCare: Mowbray - March 2020 to May 2024
Primary OSHCare: St Ives - July 2021 to January 2024
Primary OSHCare: St Ives North - February to March 2024
Pyrmont OSHC: City of Sydney - October 2018 to July 2022
SCECS: OSHC Rose Bay - January to May 2023
St Kieran's OSHC: Manly Vale - May 2018 to February 2019
St Martin's Davidson OSHC - September 2018
St Mary's OOSH: Erskineville - December 2020
Stanmore OSHC Service: Inner West Council - July to August 2018
TeamKids: ANZAC Park Public School - February 2021 to June 2023
TheirCare: Ravenswood School for Girls - May 2023
TheirCare: St Andrew's Cathedral School - December 2020
Ultimo OSHC: City of Sydney - July 2018 to September 2024
Uniting OSHC: Brookvale - July 2023
West Lindfield Getaway Vacation Care: Ku-ring-gai Municipal Council - April 2018
Willoughby Kids House - July 2023
YMCA Bankstown City - July 2018
YMCA NSW: Lycée Condorcet - July to August 2023
