SYDNEY: Australian police are examining over 1.4 million electronic files seized from an alleged child sex offender who worked with minors.
The Sydney man, who cannot be named due to court orders, was charged in July as part of an online child abuse material investigation.
National broadcaster ABC reported the accused was a childcare worker charged with making child abuse material.
Australian Federal Police revealed the massive volume of material discovered on devices during a search of the man’s home.
Investigators identified approximately 1.4 million electronic files with about 550,000 unique images according to Detective Superintendent Luke Needham.
The number of files does not indicate the scale of alleged offending but rather the volume of work required by investigators.
Police continue to methodically review all electronic material as part of their ongoing investigation.
The Sydney Morning Herald reported uncertainty about how many files were allegedly created using children accessed through his work.
The newspaper stated the man had worked at multiple Sydney daycare centres for over a decade.
Recent high-profile abuse cases have drawn attention to Australia’s childcare sector this year.
Victoria’s Health Department recommended STD tests for 1,200 children during an investigation into alleged assaults by childcare worker Joshua Dale Brown.
New South Wales state government introduced landmark legislation on Wednesday to increase regulatory powers over the childcare sector. – AFP
