Hamish Tait Faces 329 Charges for Alleged Abuse of 136 Children

Charges and Allegations

The charges against Tait include 162 counts of producing child abuse material, 81 counts of filming a person engaged in a private act without consent, and 24 counts of using a child under 14 years for the production of child abuse material. While the AFP has found no evidence of sexual assault at this stage, investigators allege Tait committed offences against more than 150 victims, including 136 children.

Police allege that while Tait worked at or attended 62 childhood education facilities between 2009 and 2025, the offending occurred at five specific locations: four childcare centres—Fit Kidz Learning Centres in Box Hill, Putney, Rouse Hill, and Warrawee—and his own business, Wild Earthlings in Glenorie.

Investigation and Victim Identification

Tait’s identity was revealed on Monday after a non-publication order was lifted to assist the AFP in a comprehensive victim identification process. The AFP and NSW Health have contacted 121 families in Australia and overseas, but police are still seeking to identify 22 further alleged victims.

For more on this story, see Hamish Tait Faces 329 Child Abuse Charges After Non-Publication Order Lifted.

AFP Acting Commander Luke Needham stated that investigators are also searching for an individual overseas to whom Tait allegedly shared abuse material on at least three occasions. While current charges relate to offending in New South Wales, Needham noted that investigators identified “limited offending” that occurred in South Australia, where Tait previously worked in a voluntary capacity at a preschool in a remote Indigenous community during the mid-2010s.

Community Response

The AFP published a list of facilities Tait visited, predominantly in Sydney’s north-west, though some were in Woolongong and the Sutherland Shire. This has caused panic among parents, some of whom expressed frustration over a lack of communication from certain centres regarding when Tait was present.

Some facilities have issued rebuttals. Cocoon Early Learning Centre stated Tait was never employed there and only visited five times as a trainee assessor. Windsor Preschool clarified that Tait attended for three hours on April 24, 2025, to deliver staff training during school holidays when no children were present.

Families with concerns regarding child sexual abuse are encouraged to contact NSW Health Sexual Assault Services (SAS) for information and counselling support.

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