A Sydney childcare worker has admitted to filming the abuse of 10 children in his care at six centres, predominantly in the city’s north and CBD.
David James, 26, faced Sydney’s Downing Centre Local Court via audio-video link from custody on Friday, pleading guilty to a raft of child abuse charges laid by the Australian Federal Police in September last year.
David James was arrested by the Federal Police in September 2024.
The identity of the former NSW Police probationary constable and Knox graduate, as well as the 58 centres he worked at casually, was suppressed for almost a year until the Herald successfully challenged a court order.
He pleaded guilty to child abuse charges between April 2021 and May 2024 at Pyrmont OSHC – City of Sydney; OSHClub – Barker College; Willoughby Kids House; Helping Hands – St Ives Park Public School; St Ives OSHC Centre – Kidzone; and Helping Hands – Lane Cove West.
Detectives from the AFP’s Operation Arctile found evidence he filmed and photographed children at those schools (There is a list of all the centres at which he worked at the bottom of this story.)
James had faced 12 child abuse charges and one charge of refusing officers access to his phone.
On Friday, he pleaded guilty to 11 child abuse charges: four counts of aggravated use of a child under 14 to make child abuse material, three counts of doing a sexual act to a child under 16 while filming for child abuse material, three counts of producing child abuse material and one count of possessing child abuse material.
He also pleaded guilty to the refusing phone access charge. One count of aggravated use of a child to make child abuse material was withdrawn.
Many details of the crimes are too graphic to publish.
David James’ entry in the Knox Grammar yearbook from 2017.
James was banned from working at centres owned by Primary OSHCare’s parent company Junior Adventures Group, but continued working as a casual with recruitment company Randstad because his Working with Children check was not affected.
James will next face court on January 30 for a sentence date to be fixed.
Locations and dates 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 Andrew’s Cathedral School (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 – August 2019)
- Forestville Vacation Care – Northern Beaches Council (July 2018 – April 2022)
- The Girls & Boys Brigade – Surry Hills (November 2020)
- Gowrie NSW Erskineville Outside of School Hours Care (June 2018; February 2019)
- Gowrie NSW North Sydney Community VC (April 2023)
- Helping Hands – Bourke Street (March 2019 – April 2024)
- Helping Hands – Lane Cove West (April 2018 – September 2024)
- Helping Hands – North Ryde (May 2018 – August 2023)
- Helping Hands – St Ives Park Public School (December 2023 – May 2024)
- Helping Hands – Willoughby Public School (April 2018 – 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 – April 2022)
- KidsCo Australia – Virtual Holiday Program (July – August 2021)
- Knox Grammar High School (March 2018 – July 2020)
- Knox Grammar School OSHClub (May 2024)
- Manly Vale VC – Northern Beaches Council (April 2019 – July 2022)
- North Shore Coaching College (July 2023 – September 2024)
- OSHClub – Barker College (May 2018 – May 2024)
- OSHClub – Beaumont Road (May 2018 – April 2023)
- OSHClub – Fort Street (May 2018)
- OSHClub – Highfields (April – November 2018)
- OSHClub – Hornsby South (August 2018 – July 2023)
- OSHClub – Knox Grammar Preparatory (May 2018 – February 2020)
- OSHClub – Newington Lindfield (February 2020)
- OSHClub – Smalls Road (February 2022 – August 2023)
- Our Lady of Good Counsel OSHC – Forestville (August 2018 – March 2019)
- Our Lady of the Rosary OSHC – Waitara (October 2018)
- Primary OSHCare – Chatswood (September 2019 – March 2020)
- Primary OSHCare – Forestville (February 2021)
- Primary OSHCare – Frenchs Forest (September 2022)
- Primary OSHCare – Killarney Heights (January 2023)
- Primary OSHCare – Mowbray (March 2020 – May 2024)
- Primary OSHCare – St Ives (July 2021 – January 2024)
- Primary OSHCare – St Ives North (February – March 2024)
- Pyrmont OSHC – City of Sydney (October 2018 – July 2022)
- SCECS – OSHC Rose Bay (January – May 2023)
- St Kieran’s OSHC – Manly Vale (May 2018 – February 2019)
- St Martin’s Davidson OSHC (September 2018)
- St Mary’s OOSH – Erskineville (December 2020)
- Stanmore OSHC Service – Inner West Council (July – August 2018)
- TeamKids – ANZAC Park Public School (February 2021 – June 2023)
- TheirCare – Ravenswood School for Girls (May 2023)
- TheirCare – St Andrew’s Cathedral School (December 2020)
- Ultimo OSHC – City of Sydney (July 2018 – 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 – Lycee Condorcet (July – August 2023)
List of centres as at 1pm on July 31, 2025. Source: afp.gov.au
If you or anyone you know needs help, call Lifeline on 13 11 14 (and see lifeline.org.au), 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732), the National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service on 1800 211 028 or Kids Helpline on 1800 551 800.
More to come.
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