A former Sydney childcare worker, Hamish Tait, has been charged with 329 criminal offences for alleged abuse of 136 children across five childcare centres over a 16‑year period.
The charges include 162 counts of producing child‑abuse material, 81 counts of recording a private act without consent, 22 counts of aggravated use of a child under 14 for the production of child‑abuse material, and 18 counts of intentionally sexually touching a child under 10.
Police revealed Tait’s identity after a court order was lifted, following his initial arrest in July last year. The 35‑year‑old remains in custody as authorities work to identify all victims. So far they have contacted 121 families, but 22 potential victims are still unidentifiable.
Tait’s alleged offending took place at five facilities – four childcare centres and his own private business – and he is believed to have worked at or attended 62 early‑childhood education centres between 2009 and 2025, mainly in Sydney’s north‑west.
Investigators first linked Tait to illegal online activity in June last year, and seized child‑abuse material during a raid on a property in Glossodia, a suburb just outside Sydney.
The case follows high‑profile Australian daycare scandals, including Ashley Paul Griffith’s 307 offences and Joshua Dale Brown’s charges involving multiple centroids. AFP Acting Commander Luke Needham noted that "Any form of child sexual abuse is confronting and horrific, especially when the alleged perpetrator is trusted with youth care."
