A former daycare worker who preyed on girls aged between two and seven who were in his care for 20 years will learn his fate during his sentencing.
Ashley Paul Griffith, 47, considered one of Australia’s worst pedophiles, will be sentenced in the Brisbane District Court on Friday.
Earlier this year, Griffith pleaded guilty to 307 charges relating to the abuse of children in his care when he worked for childcare centers in Queensland and overseas.
The charges included 190 counts of indecent treatment of children, 67 counts of making child exploitation material, 28 counts of rape and 15 counts of maintaining an unlawful relationship with a child.
In addition, there were four other counts of producing child exploitation material, one count of distributing child exploitation material, one count of possession of child exploitation material and one count of using a transportation service to access child pornography material. .
Griffith’s crimes spanned his career in child care, from 2003 until his arrest in 2022.
Griffith was arrested after Australian Federal Police found evidence that he had filmed or photographed himself sexually abusing victims – all girls – while working in childcare centres.
The court was told police had discovered several online videos and were able to link them to Griffith in 2022 after discovering a branded blanket visible in one of the videos that was sold to specific nurseries in Queensland.
On Thursday, Griffith’s victims and their families delivered their impact statements, with many revealing to the court the heartbreaking realizations they now have to endure after learning the extent of his crimes since his arrest.
Former daycare worker Ashley Paul Griffith to be sentenced Friday
Ashley Paul Griffith pleaded guilty to 307 charges against him.
The court was told many of Griffith’s victims were not even conscious or had any memory of the vile crime.
One mother, who cannot be legally identified, said knowing what Griffith had done to her daughter would haunt her forever.
“The only time she was away from me was when I put her in your hands, something I will regret for the rest of my life,” he said.
“The person I knew I knew had died from the horror of your betrayal.”
Another father said his daughter had “had her innocent childhood taken away” because of Griffith’s offending.
“(You were) the one who was supposed to keep them safe at a children’s center,” the father said.
‘Now I look at all teachers or carers with suspicion. No place is safe.
One father said he felt “hurt and angry” because he felt he had failed in his “duty to protect my family.”
The 47-year-old man had committed crimes from 2003 until he was arrested in 2022.
“The emotional and psychological toll on our family has been significant,” he said.
‘His innocence was stolen and that will never be completely erased.
‘My heart aches because they carry this burden even if it is in ways they cannot articulate.
‘I fear that the event will shadow its future in ways we will not yet be able to fully understand.
“The damage inflicted on families will never be erased.”
Griffith was initially arrested and charged with two counts of making child exploitation material and one count of using a child pornography material transportation service in August 2022.
AFP officers later charged him with an additional 1,600 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 difficult to put into words”.
Judge Paul Smith will deliver his verdict on Friday. Image: NewsWire/Glenn Campbell
“The offense is abhorrent and difficult to understand,” he said.
Fuller argued that Griffith should receive a life sentence without parole for 30 years.
Griffith’s defense lawyer, Sarah Cartledge, said her client would have to serve a non-parole period of 15 years if he was given a head sentence of 25 to 30 years.
Cartledge said Griffith’s crime “deserves significant punishment” but that it is “not the worst category.”
“I want to make it clear to the court that crimes against children are abhorrent,” Ms Cartledge said.
‘Nothing I can say is intended to downplay that; However, it is important that you check all the features before this case is presented to the court.
“Emotion should not influence (the sentence).”
Judge Paul Smith will hand down his sentence at 11am on Friday.