Convicted childcare sex offender Ashley Paul Griffith has been extradited from Queensland to New South Wales, where he will face hundreds of further charges, including allegations involving the rape of children as young as one.
The former childcare employee is already serving a life sentence in Queensland after admitting to more than 300 offences against 69 girls at childcare centres in Brisbane and Italy over a period of two decades.
On Friday, NSW Police announced 202 additional charges against Griffith. They include 68 counts of sexual intercourse with a child under 10, 42 counts of aggravated sexual intercourse with a child under 10 by a person in authority, and 69 counts of aggravated indecent assault.
He also faces 23 charges alleging the production of child abuse material.
Police said the “deeply disturbing” allegations concern the period from 2014 to 2017, when Griffith worked at a childcare facility in Sydney’s inner west.
Investigators are understood to have identified 23 children, aged between one and five, who were allegedly victimised during that time.
Griffith was charged while being held at Sydney’s Silverwater Correctional Complex. He is scheduled to appear in the Bail Division of the Local Court on Friday.
State Crime Commander Assistant Commissioner Brett Greentree said the new charges were the result of a lengthy and detailed investigation.
Ashley Paul Griffith, pictured, has been extradited to NSW to face hundreds of additional child abuse charges
Griffith was charged on Friday with 202 further offences, including allegations involving children as young as one
Police said the investigation identified 23 alleged victims who were aged between one and five at the time
“The charges laid today follow years of painstaking investigative work by Child Abuse Squad detectives and partner agencies, who have remained unwavering in their commitment to identify victims and pursue justice on their behalf,” he said.
“The investigation included the forensic analysis of thousands of digital files, extensive efforts to identify victims and close cooperation with law enforcement agencies across Australia.”
Detective Superintendent Linda Howlett, commander of the Child Abuse Squad, said finding the alleged victims and assisting their families had remained a central priority.
“The children identified during this investigation were between one and five years old at the time of the alleged offending and remained at the forefront of every investigative decision made by strike force detectives,” she said.
“Our detectives have worked tirelessly to identify victims, support their families and collect the evidence needed to put these serious allegations before the court.”
Griffith will remain in NSW custody until any criminal proceedings are completed.
The latest charges were announced two days after authorities transported Griffith by road from Queensland into NSW. Queensland Corrections Minister Laura Gerber said she hoped “he hit every pothole” during the journey.
“What Griffith did to children was abhorrent. He is a monster,” Gerber said. “I will say what most Queenslanders are thinking right now: I hope he hit every pothole on the way.”
The former childcare worker was sentenced to life in prison in Queensland in November 2024
Griffith’s face was shown publicly in a video of the transfer released by Queensland Corrective Services on Wednesday.
He could be seen wearing a green prison tracksuit while being escorted through the Wolston Correctional Centre’s maximum security unit at Wacol, south-west of Brisbane.
He has not been seen in public pictures or footage since his arrest in August 2022.
Most of what Griffith said to the guards was muted by Corrective Services.
However he is heard to say ‘not this time’ when asked if he has been transported in a particular kind of prison van before.
The video shows Griffith after he changes into the jeans and military-style jacket he was wearing when first arrested before being handcuffed.
He is then placed in a cage made of grey metal and unbreakable glass that is built into the back of an unmarked white van, which begins to drive through a sally port to the outside world.
Anyone with information that may assist investigations into the distribution of child abuse material/ etc is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)
National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service (1800 211 028)
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