‘Catastrophic’: Childcare worker preyed on kids

He was meant to be the person they trusted most to care for their children but now Ashley Paul Griffith is being sentenced for the rape, child sexual assault and filming of multiple children spanning more than 20 years in Queensland childcare centres and overseas.

Dubbed one of Australia’s worst pedophiles, Griffith, 47, is facing a two-day sentencing hearing at Brisbane District Court.

The numerous victims and their families delivered their statements about the impact his vile offending has had on them to the court on Thursday.

Earlier this year, Griffith pleaded guilty to a total of 307 charges.

The charges included 190 counts of indecent treatment of children, 67 counts of making child exploitation material, 28 counts of rape, 15 counts of maintaining an unlawful relationship with a child, four counts of producing child exploitation material, one count of distributing child exploitation material, one count of possessing child exploitation material and one count of using a carriage service to access child pornography material.

Griffith’s offending spans over diverse dates – some as far back as 2003 – while others range between 2008 and 2009.

The number of victims is so vast that an overflow courtroom has been organised in order to accommodate family and supporters, who are seated in the same courtroom as Griffith.

Lives completely changed forever

Two women, who cannot be legally identified but have since turned 18, bravely spoke before court on Thursday and faced the man who sexually abused them both while they were under his care.

The court was told both women were contacted by the AFP about the investigation days before they each were set to graduate from high school.

Neither woman was aware they’d been sexually abused by Griffith until they were shown photographs of themselves that police had found on his electronic devices.

One woman said Griffith was her “favourite teacher” when she was at kindergarten and was a “key memory” of her childhood.

She said learning about the atrocities done to her “breaks her heart”.

The woman said there was a “disconnect” between her memory and the truth.

“I wish I could remember something so Ashley could have been stopped even (years) earlier,” she said.

“I wish I was filled with hate but there’s still part of me that thinks ‘that’s my favourite teacher’ and that’s probably the worst thing.”

The other woman said her fun memories of her childhood now have a “big shadow over it” since learning the truth about Griffith.

“I was just a little girl, a little girl who would bring a different stuffed animal to kindy every day,” the woman said.

“I had unlimited trust in Ashley and everyone looking after me.

“I loved kindy.”

The woman said people have told her that it’s lucky she doesn’t remember the abuse towards her but that doesn’t make things any easier.

“To know such cruelty has occurred to such innocent little girls and to go on for so long is so painful,” she said.

Both women spoke about how their minds were constantly cluttered with thoughts about what had happened to them and how they could not focus on everyday tasks like they used to.

Parents’ trust eroded

More than a dozen parents shared with the court how their lives have been irrevocably changed since learning about what Griffith did to each of their children.

One mother said Griffith had caused her family a “lifetime of pain”.

“My job was to keep her safe but instead each day I told her I loved her and then handed her over to someone who abused her,” the woman said.

“The impact on daily life is never-ending.

“I can no longer look at photos of my own child without getting upset.”

The woman recalled a time she attended “stranger danger week” at the childcare centre where she observed Griffith teaching her child about the importance of knowing how to say “stop” if they felt uncomfortable in a situation.

“How were we to know the greatest danger to our child was entrusted with her care,” she said.

Another parent told the court they’d welcomed Griffith into their lives and he became one of their close family friends.

The mother said she would never be able to get over his betrayal.

Another mother said she was outraged about how Griffith’s abuse went unchallenged for some any years.

“Some days are really hard marred by what you did,” she said.

“You took advantage of my kindness.

“(My daughter) loved you like an uncle and you used her like a toy.

“This betrayal left a mark on me, on (my daughter) and our whole family.

“All of these little girls, some now grown women, have a life sentence handed down by you.

“(My daughter) couldn’t ask you to stop. She couldn’t even express to others what you were doing to her.

“You knew I was kind hearted and genuine and you took advantage of that.

(My daughter) was an easy target, your darkness consumed her light.”

How he was caught

Griffith was initially charged with two counts of making child exploitation material and one count of using a carriage service for child pornography material in August 2022.

But Australian Federal Police laid more than 1600 additional charges after more child abuse material was found on devices belonging to Griffith a year later.

Queensland Director of Public Prosecutions Todd Fuller KC told the court the “true horror” of Griffith’s offending “is hard to capture in words”.

“The offending is abhorrent and difficult to comprehend,” he said.

Mr Fuller said Griffith came to the attention of the AFP after they discovered six videos he’d filmed of himself abusing young girls in a childcare centre.

He said after detectives “painstakingly” reviewed the footage, they finally caught a break after spotting a “brand of blanket” visible in one of the videos.

The court was told detectives learned this blanket was sold to specific childcare centres in Queensland and the investigation led to them reviewing employment records of all staff to identify the offender.

Ultimately, many charges were dropped, with only the 307 Griffith pleaded guilty to remaining.

Police alleged Griffith recorded his abuse of more than 80 children – all of them pre-pubescent girls – while working at 10 childcare centres in Brisbane between 2007 to 2013 and 2018 to 2022.

Other offences took place at a location in Europe between 2013 and 2014, while his offending at a Sydney centre spanned between 2014 and 2017.

Investigators initially located videos and photographs of Griffith’s alleged offending on a dark web platform in 2014 – but they were only traced back to a Brisbane centre following his 2022 arrest.

While Griffith has worked at other childcare centres, he is not alleged to have offended there.

Some of his victims have since turned 18, the AFP said in a statement.

The next step

Mr Fuller told the court that Griffith had since been diagnosed with a pedophilic disorder.

Referencing his psychiatrist report, Mr Fuller said Griffith lacked empathy towards his victims and tried to justify his actions.

Mr Fuller said the way Griffith had targeted his victims showed the level of his “perversion” and it was calculated.

He said the videos and images Griffith had created of himself abusing the victims, some of which he uploaded to the internet, was “an example of his depravity”.

“The reality of the internet of the abuse of theses victims shared online cannot be destroyed,” Mr Fuller said.

The court was told Griffith had told his psychologist that he “adored these children” and knew what he was doing was “wrong and having catastrophic consequences” on his victims.

Mr Fuller said Griffith had never confided his sexual tendencies with a mental health practitioner out of “fear of losing his job”.

Mr Fuller said Griffith’s “distortion” of his offending had led to the escalation of his abuse against the victims.

“It’s clear that there was a manipulation of these children and a number of them became devoted to him,” he said.

“He said it could be seen as grooming but this was part of his job.

“He made a statement that he felt sorry for the children but could not stop hurting them.”

The court was told Griffith had no existing psychiatric conditions, personality or mental disorders or background factors which could explain the offending.

The court was told Griffith assisted police with identifying his victims in the videos and images but Mr Fuller said that does not show full remorse.

Mr Fuller said Griffith should be given a life sentence with a non-eligibility parole date of 30 years.

Griffith’s defence barrister, Sarah Cartledge KC, told the court her client should be given a non-parole date of 15 years if a head sentence of 25 to 30 years is imposed.

Ms Cartledge said Griffith’s offending was “deserving of significant punishment” but his offending was “not the worst category”.

“I want to make clear to the court that offences against children are abhorrent,” Ms Cartledge said.

“Nothing I can say is intended to take away from that. However, it is important all features before this case are put before the court.

“Emotion should not play a role (in sentencing).”

Ms Cartledge said her client had assisted police with their investigation and had entered a plea of guilty at the earliest occasion.

“Once these offences came to light the defendant has done everything in his power to assist in this matter, coming to court and assist where possible,” she said.

“The co-operation is extensive and pleas of guilty should be encouraged.”

Justice Paul Smith will hand down his verdict on Friday.

The court was told Griffith had worked in childcare since 2003 while he was studying a Bachelor of Science at university before opting to continue his career in childcare.

In a since-deleted staff profile at one of the centres he worked at, Griffith said he was a “firm believer in play-based learning”.

“I love engaging children in meaningful experiences that inspire their play and learning,” he said.

“Young children are natural inquirers, exploring the world through their senses, seeking answers and building theories.

“As an early childhood teacher I hope to share this journey, learning side-by-side children and inspiring them.”

During his arraignment on September 2, the court was told pre-sentence and psychiatric reports were being organised, in addition to the arrangements for his victims to attend court.

It was standing room only as family members of the child victims stared Griffith down from the public gallery.

He said nothing apart from “guilty” when each of the charges was read out to him, and silently said “no” when asked if he had anything to say in response.

If you or someone you know is experiencing sexual abuse or family violence contact:

• National Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence Counselling Service 24-hour helpline 1800 RESPECT on 1800 737 732

• 24-hour Emergency Accommodation helpline on 1800 800 588

• Safe At Home helpline on 1800 633 937

• National Violence and Abuse Trauma Counselling and Recovery Service on 1800 FULLSTOP (1800 385 578). They also have a specific line for the LGBTIQA+ community called the Rainbow Sexual, Domestic and Family Violence Helpline on 1800 497 212

• SHE (free and confidential counselling and support) on 6278 9090

• Sexual Assault Support Services on 6231 1811, or after hours 6231 1817

• Family Violence Crisis and Support Service on 1800 608 122

• Bravehearts – Sexual Assault Support for Children on 1800 BRAVE 1

• Kids Helpline is for young people aged 5 to 25 on 1800 551 800

Don't go it alone. Please reach out for help by contacting Lifeline on 13 11 14

• Men who have anger, relationship or parenting issues, should contact the Men's Referral Service on 1300 766 491 or the Don’t Become That Man helpline on 1300 243 413