Sydney daycare worker David James sentenced to 12 years in prison

David William James, a 27‑year‑old Sydney daycare worker, was sentenced on Thursday to 12 years’ imprisonment with a non‑parole period of seven years for sexual offences against nine children. The abuse was filmed by James during a shift when he coerced a seven‑year‑old boy into a staff bathroom and threatened him with his mother’s anger.

Police identified James through his dark‑web pseudonym “Remy”. Metadata from a photo posted on a dark‑web forum linked him to the Matsuri Japanese Festival in Chatswood on 13 September 2024. CCTV footage from the festival and nearby banks captured James in the crowd and later at the Orchard Hotel. A joint operation involving Queensland Police, the Australian Federal Police and New South Wales Police led to his arrest.

The case has devastated the victims’ families, with the father describing a loss of trust and ongoing therapy. James’s sentencing underscores the coordinated effort of Australian law‑enforcement agencies to track and prosecute online child‑abuse predators.