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| Alleged childcare paedophile Joshua Dale Brown likely to face more charges, court told | Alleged childcare paedophile Joshua Dale Brown likely to face more charges, court told |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Magistrate Donna Bakos granted an application by police for extra time to compile additional evidence against Brown | Magistrate Donna Bakos granted an application by police for extra time to compile additional evidence against Brown |
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| Alleged childcare paedophile Joshua Dale Brown is likely to face extra charges, with a court granting police more time to investigate him. | Alleged childcare paedophile Joshua Dale Brown is likely to face extra charges, with a court granting police more time to investigate him. |
| Magistrate Donna Bakos on Tuesday approved a request by police for an extension in the matter of Brown and Michael Simon Wilson. | Magistrate Donna Bakos on Tuesday approved a request by police for an extension in the matter of Brown and Michael Simon Wilson. |
| The duo were next due to appear in court in September. But instead, the hand-up brief of evidence against Brown will be provided to his lawyers by 4 December, with the matter due to return to court for a committal mention on 10 February. | The duo were next due to appear in court in September. But instead, the hand-up brief of evidence against Brown will be provided to his lawyers by 4 December, with the matter due to return to court for a committal mention on 10 February. |
| Wilson, meanwhile, will next appear for a committal mention on 15 November. | Wilson, meanwhile, will next appear for a committal mention on 15 November. |
| The accused men, who are both remanded in custody, were not required to appear in court for the brief administrative hearing. The extension was not contested by either of their lawyers. | The accused men, who are both remanded in custody, were not required to appear in court for the brief administrative hearing. The extension was not contested by either of their lawyers. |
| Brown, 26, was charged in May with 73 offences relating to eight alleged victims in his care, aged between five months and two years old. | Brown, 26, was charged in May with 73 offences relating to eight alleged victims in his care, aged between five months and two years old. |
| They include sexual penetration of a child under 12, attempted sexual penetration of a child under 12, sexual assault of a child under 16 and producing child abuse material for use through a carriage service. | They include sexual penetration of a child under 12, attempted sexual penetration of a child under 12, sexual assault of a child under 16 and producing child abuse material for use through a carriage service. |
| Brown’s case was only made public on 1 July after a suppression order was lifted. | Brown’s case was only made public on 1 July after a suppression order was lifted. |
| Wilson, 46, meanwhile, faces 45 charges including, rape, bestiality and possessing child abuse material. | Wilson, 46, meanwhile, faces 45 charges including, rape, bestiality and possessing child abuse material. |
| It is understood Wilson’s alleged offending is not connected to childcare facilities or any of the children alleged to be victims in the Brown case. | It is understood Wilson’s alleged offending is not connected to childcare facilities or any of the children alleged to be victims in the Brown case. |
| It remains unclear how the duo know each other. | It remains unclear how the duo know each other. |
| Both cases are in their early stages and both Brown and Wilson are yet to enter a plea. | |
| Brown’s lawyer, Rishi Nathwani KC, fought a media application for the charges he faces to be made public. | Brown’s lawyer, Rishi Nathwani KC, fought a media application for the charges he faces to be made public. |
| He cited an affidavit provided by police in support of the extension, which said the investigation into the duo was ongoing and there was the potential for “additional charges”. | He cited an affidavit provided by police in support of the extension, which said the investigation into the duo was ongoing and there was the potential for “additional charges”. |
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| Nathwani said charges against his client “are in flux” as a result, with police following a “vast number of other avenues that have now become apparent”. | Nathwani said charges against his client “are in flux” as a result, with police following a “vast number of other avenues that have now become apparent”. |
| “There will be more charges, may even be alteration [of existing charges],” he said. | |
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| “Given the high-profile nature already it would be terribly unfortunate if charges were released prematurely.” | “Given the high-profile nature already it would be terribly unfortunate if charges were released prematurely.” |
| Nathwani said the release of existing charges would be “premature” and would “hinder the realisation of natural justice” and possibly “prejudice” a jury in a future trial “down the road”. | |
| However, Bakos disagreed. | However, Bakos disagreed. |
| “They are the charges before the court, they are the charges keeping each accused in custody, and that fair and accurate reporting at this stage requires the nature of the charges to be released,” she said. | “They are the charges before the court, they are the charges keeping each accused in custody, and that fair and accurate reporting at this stage requires the nature of the charges to be released,” she said. |
| The charge sheets were released on Tuesday afternoon. They reveal the majority of Brown’s alleged offending occurred over five dates in 2022 and 2023. | The charge sheets were released on Tuesday afternoon. They reveal the majority of Brown’s alleged offending occurred over five dates in 2022 and 2023. |
| It is alleged that the offences occurred at Creative Gardens Early Learning Centre in Point Cook, in Melbourne’s western suburbs. | It is alleged that the offences occurred at Creative Gardens Early Learning Centre in Point Cook, in Melbourne’s western suburbs. |
| It includes a charge of “contaminat[ing] goods with intent to cause, or being reckless as to whether it would cause, public alarm or anxiety” and “using a carriage service in a manner which a reasonable person would regard as being offensive” in 2022. | It includes a charge of “contaminat[ing] goods with intent to cause, or being reckless as to whether it would cause, public alarm or anxiety” and “using a carriage service in a manner which a reasonable person would regard as being offensive” in 2022. |
| On each date Brown is alleged to have sexually abused a child, he was also charged with producing child abuse material, the documents show. | On each date Brown is alleged to have sexually abused a child, he was also charged with producing child abuse material, the documents show. |
| They also show that on the day of his arrest, May 12, he was allegedly in possession of child abuse material “held in a computer/contained in a data storage device”. | They also show that on the day of his arrest, May 12, he was allegedly in possession of child abuse material “held in a computer/contained in a data storage device”. |