Ex-Sydney childcare worker jailed for 'disturbing and depraved' child abuse

Former Sydney childcare worker David James jailed for up to 12 years over child abuse offences Thu 2 Jul 2026 at 4:51pm In short: David William James has been sentenced to 12 years' jail for creating and possessing child abuse material at out-of-school centres in Sydney. The 27-year-old pleaded guilty to 11 charges related to offending that occurred at six locations as far back as 2018. What's next? James will be eligible for parole in October 2031 after counting time already served. A disgraced Sydney childcare worker and failed police officer will spend up to 12 years in prison for creating and possessing child abuse material at out-of-school hours care centres. David William James worked on a casual basis at nearly 60 centres in Sydney's northern suburbs and the CBD as far back as 2018. His arrest, in 2024, prompted a painstaking victim identification process by Australian Federal Police (AFP), during which officers established that his offending occurred at six of the locations over a three-year period. He pleaded guilty last year to 11 charges related to his production and possession of child abuse material by taking images and short videos of nine young boys in various stages of undress. They were aged between five and nine, the NSW District Court heard. In some of the material, James carried out a sexual act towards the children, which Judge Guy Newton today described as "disturbing and depraved". He handed James a head sentence of 12 years, with a non-parole period of seven. "The offender abused a position of trust and authority," the judge said in sentencing. "The breach of trust in the present case was egregious." The judge rejected James's claims, as made to a psychologist, that his sexual act during some of offending was "a mental exercise motivated for the camera" rather than a function of arousal, and found that he had made attempts to minimise his crimes. Judge Newtown found there was some positive prospect of rehabilitation, while remaining guarded, due to James's lack of previous offending, his age, support from family, and willingness to address his paedophilic disorder through treatment. The 27-year-old now remains in segregation and is in his jail cell for 23 and a half hours each day, the court previously heard. CCTV leads to arrest His offending came to light after a Queensland Police officer tracked the online activity of a user who went by "Remy" on the dark web in September 2024. When that user posted six images of young boys, metadata was extracted from one which revealed a date, time and location in Sydney. According to a set of agreed facts, authorities then obtained CCTV and picked James out of a crowd, appearing to take photographs of a child on the shoulders of a man who was unaware. James was then tracked on other CCTV footage going into a nearby pub and ordering a drink. Within a week of the images being posted on the dark web, police officers were at his front door with a search warrant requiring James to hand over access to electronic devices, which he refused. A digital forensics expert cracked into them a fortnight later, uncovering a collection of files including 22 images and videos classified as "first generation" child abuse material. During part of his offending period, James was completing training at the Goulburn Police Academy and started working for NSW Police, but the force has previously said he did not seek the required approval for secondary employment and it was "unaware of his concurrent role" in childcare. He failed to complete probation but continued working in a civilian role until quitting in May 2023. Mother's 'horror and fear' The mother of one of the victims last month described how the impact of James's crimes had permanently changed her family. In a victim impact statement handed to the court, she recalled how it seemed "surreal" to be asked to identify items of clothing by the AFP, and the mix of "horror and fear" when they were told what James had done. The mother, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, said she can no longer consider any person or place safe for her children, feels a crushing sense of guilt, and lies awake most nights thinking about what happened. "My son was innocent, he was a little boy who deserved to feel safe and cared for," she wrote in the statement. The mother also expressed hope that seeing James "pay for his crimes" may offer "some small reprieve". In a handwritten letter of apology, which was also tendered to the court, James said he was "deeply ashamed" about contributing to the mistrust that parents of his victims now feel. He acknowledged they'd sought to trust an "already fragile institution" and believed their children would be safe. James also apologised to members of the AFP and other agencies who had to review "countless files of distressing content" from his devices. With time already served, James will be eligible for parole in October 2031.