Former Sydney childcare worker Hamish Tait faces 444 charges

Former Sydney childcare worker Hamish Tait is now facing 444 charges related to the alleged abuse of children over a 16-year period.

The Australian Federal Police laid an additional 115 charges on Friday.

The matter is scheduled to be heard at Parramatta Local Court on October 8.

The Australian Federal Police (AFP) has laid an additional 115 charges against a former Sydney childcare worker who allegedly abused more than 130 children.

Hamish Tait is now facing 444 charges related to the alleged abuse of children over a 16-year period.

The additional charges laid on Friday include 105 counts of producing child abuse material, one count of carrying out a sexual act with a child under 10, five counts of filming a person engaged in a private act in circumstances of aggravation, and four counts of possessing child abuse material.

The AFP said the charges related to the exploitation of children known to Mr Tait, and those who attended five early childhood education facilities in Sydney's north-west in which he worked at or attended.

The alleged offending is said to have occurred between 2009 and 2025.

The additional charges relate to previously identified alleged victims, with no further people identified, the AFP noted.

Mr Tait, 35, has been remanded in custody since he was arrested and first charged by the AFP in July.

The matter remains before the courts and is next scheduled to be heard at Parramatta Local Court on October 8.

2.4 million electronic files reviewed

The investigation, dubbed Operation Moonbi, has involved the review and analysis of 2.4 million electronic files.

Police established a website under Operation Moonbi, which included a list of the more than 55 childcare centres where Mr Tait worked at or attended between 2009 and 2025, predominantly in Sydney's north-west.

Alleged abuse has been identified at five centres.

In July, the AFP released images of distinctive clothing in an attempt to identify alleged victims.

The images were found on electronic devices seized as part of the investigation under Operation Moonbi.

AFP Detective Acting Inspector Emmanuel Tsardoulias previously described victim identification work as "painstaking and detailed".

"Our victim ID team is tenacious, committed and will stop at nothing to identify children or victims of child exploitation," he said.