SYDNEY, April 17 (Xinhua) -- Australian Federal Police (AFP) have charged a Sydney childcare worker who allegedly abused children over a 16-year span with 137 offenses.
The AFP said in court on Friday that the man, who was initially charged in July 2025 with eight counts of using a child under the age of 14 years to make child abuse material, has been hit with an additional 129 charges.
The 137 total charges include 68 counts of producing child abuse material, 18 counts of using a child for the production of abuse material and seven counts of sexual touching a child.
The offenses are alleged to have occurred between 2009 and 2025 at multiple daycare centers in Sydney.
AFP Detective Superintendent Luke Needham said in a statement that the additional charges were laid after investigators spent nine months analyzing digital evidence that was seized at the time of the man's initial arrest in July.
"We know matters like this are a parent's worst nightmare, and we have investigators and digital forensic experts working around the clock to methodically review 2.4 million electronic files," he said.
"Our priority is to analyze all available evidence and engage impacted families as soon as possible."
He said that the review and victim identification process was in its final stages and that impacted families would be notified in the coming weeks. ■
