A Sydney man who worked with children has been charged with over a dozen child abuse offences.
David James, 26, was charged by the Australian Federal Police (AFP) in October and has remained in custody since. His identity had been suppressed by court order until now.
The AFP recently notified parents and carers of children who may have had contact with Mr James, as part of an ongoing investigation. Police are expected to provide further details later today.
Mr James was employed in roles involving children in both Sydney’s northern suburbs and the CBD. However, investigators believe only a small number of children were affected by his alleged actions.
He faces more than a dozen charges, including ten counts of using a child under 14 to produce child abuse material and two counts of possessing such material.
The court had previously granted suppression orders to keep Mr James’s identity confidential during the police investigation. Those orders were extended in March and were set to expire this evening. His lawyer had requested a further extension for his safety, citing the nature of the charges, but the court declined.
Deputy Chief Magistrate Michael Antrum stated that concerns for Mr James’s safety in custody fall under the responsibility of Corrective Services. He also emphasized the importance of open justice and ruled the suppression orders be lifted immediately, noting there was no current evidence suggesting a safety risk.
Mr James did not appear via video link during the court session. The case is scheduled to return to court in three weeks.
