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Joshua Dale Brown, a 26-year-old Melbourne childcare worker, faces the possibility of new charges as police continue their investigation into allegations of child abuse. Brown was initially charged in May with over 70 offences, including sexual activity in the presence of a child under 16, sexual assault of a child under 16, and possession of child abuse material. He has yet to enter pleas on these charges.
After his arrest, Brown was remanded in custody and was originally scheduled to appear before the Melbourne Magistrates Court on September 15. However, prosecutors requested additional time to prepare their evidence, and Magistrate Donna Bakos approved a deadline extension, allowing the police to provide the case brief to Brown’s legal team by December 4.
Brown did not attend the brief court hearing on Tuesday. His lawyer, barrister Rishi Nathwani KC, described the police affidavit supporting the delay as “helpful and detailed,” highlighting the significant investigational steps still required. Nathwani also noted the detective responsible for laying the charges indicated potential for further charges and amendments to the current ones.
The court denied a media request to access Brown’s charge sheets, despite opposition from his lawyer who argued that releasing the documents prematurely would be unfair and impede natural justice. Magistrate Bakos found no valid reason to withhold the charge sheets from the media.
The case became public on July 1 after a suppression order was lifted. Police allege Brown abused eight children aged between five months and two years. Investigations revealed Brown worked at 23 childcare centers across Melbourne from January 2017 to May 2025. Authorities have urged parents and carers of approximately 2,000 children to have them tested for sexually transmitted infections as a precaution.
Victoria Police has described establishing Brown’s employment history as “extremely complex” due to the lack of centralized childcare provider records. The investigation remains active, and updates are expected in the coming weeks.
Acting Commander Janet Stevenson of Victoria Police’s Crime Command emphasized the case’s high priority and encouraged those affected to seek available support services.
Brown is expected to return to court in February 2026.
