Artarmon Man in Custody After Being Charged with Allegedly Producing Child Abuse Material at Lane Cove West Out of School Hours Care and 5 other Centres (OOSH)

Article updated at 3.05 pm and at 5.52 pm on 31 July 2025 (article previously entitled Artarmon Man in Custody After Being Charged with Allegedly Producing Child Abuse Material at North Shore Out of School Hours Care (OOSH)

The Australian Federal Police (AFP) have released details of Operation Arctile.

It is an AFP investigation that has led to an Artarmon man David James, 26, being charged with allegedly producing child abuse material through his employment at out-of-school hours care facilities in Northern Sydney and Inner Sydney Suburbs between April 2021 and May 2024.

The AFP allege the man produced child abuse material of 10 victims, aged six and under, during his employment at six OOSH (out of school hours) care services.

Six Centres Named

The six centres have now been named as

Helping Hands – Lane Cove West
Helping Hands – St Ives Park Public School
St Ives OSHC Centre – KIDZONE
Pyrmont OSHC – Operated by City of Sydney
OSH Club at Barker College
Willoughby Kids House

The AFP have released a list of locations where the man worked, but has stressed that all impacted families have been contacted. The man has worked at OOSH centres located in the Lane Cove Local Government Area and the Willoughby Local Government Area (see full list below).

On 18 June 2025, the AFP sent out letters to parents and carers of children who attended six Sydney-based care services where the man had been employed and where the AFP identified evidence of offending.

The letter provided instructions on how parents or carers could connect with the local contact point if they had concerns about their child and seek advice on what support was available.

Further extensive inquiries have since been undertaken by police, and a further 52 OOSH care facilities and other providers, which had employed the man, have been contacted.

The AFP holds no evidence to suggest any alleged offending took place at these facilities.  The AFP looked through all devices and drives owned by the man and reviewed 142,000 images (not all of them related to child abuse).

Parents and carers can access Operation Arctile information, which has been activated today (31 July, 2025) for information on the time periods of the man’s employment, and for advice on appropriate support services, as well as who to contact if they believe they require further assistance.

Suppression Order Lifted

The man has been in custody since 12 October 2024.

The Sydney Morning Herald was successful in lifting a suppression order that prevented the name of the male day care worker from being released.

The Sydney Morning Herald in an article posted on 31 July 2025 (link here) noted:

“David James was initially charged with refusing to grant police access to his phone by the Australian Federal Police as part of Operation Arctile in September, but investigators quickly found alleged evidence that he had filmed and photographed children in his care.”

AFP Statement

The AFP noted:

“The Artarmon man has been remanded in custody since 12 October 2024 and does not pose a current threat to the community. It is important to note that the AFP and NSW Health have contacted all of the impacted families. Support services have been offered and continue to be provided.

Below is a list of locations in which the man has worked. Additionally, there is also access to NSW Health resources for support should you need it. We understand that this is an extremely challenging and difficult time for everyone, however the AFP, NSW Police Force, NSW Department of Communities and Justice, NSW Health, the Office of the Children’s Guardian, and the NSW Early Childhood Education and Care Regulatory Authority will continue to work closely together to assist you in the ongoing protection of children and young people.”

AFP Acting Assistant Commissioner Brett James (see our cover photo) said the AFP and other agencies remain committed to providing ongoing support to affected families.

“The AFP and our partners are committed to supporting those families whose children’s innocence was allegedly violated by a man trusted to take care of them,” Acting Assistant Commissioner James said.

“Any form of child sexual abuse is confronting. Even more so when the alleged perpetrator is an individual trusted with the care of our youth.

“AFP investigators have carefully scrutinised the available evidence to identify the scale and scope of the alleged offending. There is no evidence to suggest the man’s alleged offending took place in out-of-school-hours facilities or other care providers which have not yet been contacted by law enforcement.

“If parents are concerned, please visit the website dedicated to supporting families and the community seeking further information about the AFP investigation.

“The AFP and our law enforcement partners are dedicated to combatting child sex predators and I am extremely proud of the work our investigators do, each and every day, to ensure the protection of our children.”

The AFP has released details on how to speak to your child about child protection concerns – you can view the resources here.

Charges

The man currently faces 13 offences, being:

• Nine counts of aggravated use of child under 14 to make child abuse material, contrary to section 91G(3) of the Crimes Act 1900 (NSW). This carries a maximum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment.
• One count of use of child under 14 to make child abuse material, contrary to section 91G(1)(a) of the Crimes Act 1900 (NSW). This carries a maximum penalty of 14 years’ imprisonment.
• Two counts of possessing child abuse material, contrary to section 91H(2) of the Crimes Act 1900 (NSW). This carries a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment; and
• One count of contravene requirements of a s3LA order when the warrant relates to a serious offence, contrary to section 3LA(6) of the Crimes Act 1914 (Cth). This offence has a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment.

The AFP allege the man produced child abuse material of 10 victims, aged six and under, during his employment at six OOSH care services.

Man Charged is Former Probationary Constable

The NSW Police Media released the following statement:

Non-publication orders have today been lifted regarding the identity of a man currently under investigation by the Australian Federal Police (AFP) as part of Operation Arctile.

The individual in question is a former employee of the New South Wales Police Force (NSWPF).

He was employed as a probationary constable from December 2021 to September 2022 and, after failing to complete his probation, continued in a civilian capacity until his resignation in May 2023.

During his employment, the man failed to seek the required approval to engage in secondary employment, and as such, police were unaware of his concurrent role in the childcare sector.

We acknowledge the seriousness of the allegations and condemn any behaviour that places our community’s most vulnerable members at risk.

The NSWPF will continue to assist the AFP in its investigation and to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all affected individuals.

As this remains an ongoing investigation, it would be inappropriate to comment further at this time.

Statement from Helping Hands

Junior Adventure Group has released the following statement:

“Junior Adventures Group (JAG), whose centres include Helping Hands, OSHClub and Primary OSHCare, is aware that a former casual staff member has been arrested and charged following an Australian Federal Police (AFP) investigation.

We fully understand how distressing this matter is, and we share the immense upset and concern surrounding it. We have been cooperating with the police and doing all that we can to assist them in their investigation.

We are now contacting all our parents at the centres the AFP has listed. We are also only just finding out details of alleged offences, with the Non- Publication Order (NPO) being lifted today.

Protecting children in our care is of paramount importance to us. This is our top priority every day.

Junior Adventures Group has robust child safety policies and procedures designed to ensure that we provide a safe and caring environment. These include:

• Banned use of personal mobile devices onsite since 2024.
• Mandatory completion of child safe training and signing of our Safeguarding Declaration for all team members before starting employment.
• A dedicated National Safeguarding Lead and a network of Child Safe Champions, including senior leadership, who model a “Hear something, see something, feel something – say something” culture.
• Robust recruitment, onboarding, and screening processes focused on child safety, including WWCC and national police checks.
• Comprehensive risk management plans in place at every service.
• A national team dedicated to quality, compliance, and continuous improvement.
• Ongoing review and enhancement of our policies and practices in line with national regulatory standards.

Our organisation also strongly supports the proposed changes to strengthen the Working with Children Check framework at a national level and enhance information-sharing across jurisdictions. Junior Adventures Group continues to operate as usual and is providing support to families and staff.”

List of Locations and Dates

Statement from Willoughby City Council

If you or anyone you know needs help or this article raises any issues, you can call the following:

The National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service – 1800 211 028
1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)
Lifeline – 13 11 14
Kids Helpline –  1800 551 800

Our cover photo is Acting Assistant Commissioner Brett James at the press conference on 31 July 2025.