Former childcare worker Hamish Tait faces 444 charges of child abuse
A former Sydney childcare worker is facing 444 charges related to the alleged abuse of children over a 16-year period. The Australian Federal Police have laid an additional 115 charges against Hamish Tait, who allegedly abused more than 130 children.
Former Sydney childcare worker Hamish Tait is now facing 444 charges related to the alleged abuse of children over a 16-year period. The charges were laid by the Australian Federal Police on Friday, adding 115 more to the existing charges.
The additional charges include 105 counts of producing child abuse material, one count of carrying out a sexual act with a child under 10, five counts of filming a person engaged in a private act in circumstances of aggravation, and four counts of possessing child abuse material.
The alleged offending is said to have occurred between 2009 and 2025, and the charges relate to the exploitation of children known to Mr Tait, and those who attended five early childhood education facilities in Sydney's north-west where he worked or attended.
According to AFP Detective Acting Inspector Emmanuel Tsardoulias, victim identification work is "painstaking and detailed". "Our victim ID team is tenacious, committed and will stop at nothing to identify children or victims of child exploitation," he said.
The investigation, which has involved the review and analysis of 2.4 million electronic files, is ongoing. Mr Tait, 35, has been remanded in custody since he was arrested and first charged in July, and the matter is next scheduled to be heard at Parramatta Local Court on October 8.