Sydney childcare worker named, charged with 329 offences

A former childcare worker in Sydney has been identified and charged with 329 child abuse offences following a major police investigation, in what authorities describe as one of Australia's most extensive alleged childcare abuse cases. Hamish Tait, 35, was publicly named on Monday, July 13, 2026, after a court lifted a non-publication order that had concealed his identity for nearly a year. He is accused of committing offences against 136 identified children and 22 unidentified individuals over a 16-year period spanning from 2009 to 2025.

Tait worked at or attended 62 childcare and early education centres across Sydney, primarily in the city's northwest. Police allege the offending occurred at five specific facilities, four of which were operated by the major provider Fit Kidz. The Australian Federal Police (AFP) have published the full list of 62 centres to aid their investigation and assist families. Tait has been in custody since his initial arrest in July 2025, when officers seized approximately 2.5 million files from electronic devices at his home.

The charges against Tait include 162 counts of producing child abuse material, 81 counts of filming a person engaged in a...