A mother whose young son was abused by former Sydney out-of-school-hours care worker David William James has told a court she now lives in "constant fear", describing the profound emotional toll the offending has had on her family.
James, 27, appeared via video link from custody during sentence proceedings in the Downing Centre District Court on Friday. He previously pleaded guilty to 11 charges relating to the creation and possession of child abuse material, involving children aged five and six at several childcare centres across Sydney.
In a powerful victim impact statement read to the court, the boy's mother recounted the moment she was contacted by the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and asked to identify clothing her son had been wearing in photographs connected to the investigation.
She described the experience as "surreal", saying it was accompanied by overwhelming feelings of horror, fear and guilt.
The mother said she continues to struggle with feelings of responsibility for placing her child in James's care.
"What is worse than knowing what this man has done is feeling responsible for his actions," she said.
"I do not think I will ever be able to escape that guilt."
The court heard that the impact of the offending has fundamentally changed the family's daily life.
The woman said she now questions whether any person or place can truly be considered safe for her child. She described constantly worrying about whether her son might one day remember aspects of what happened and how those memories could affect him.
"There is a constant fear resonating in the background that something else will happen," she told the court.
James was arrested in October 2024 following a joint investigation involving the AFP and NSW Police after child abuse material linked to him was allegedly identified on the dark web.
Authorities later revealed that James had worked across 58 out-of-school-hours care services throughout Sydney between 2018 and 2024, although police allege the offending occurred at six centres.
In December 2025, James pleaded guilty to multiple offences, including using children under the age of 14 to produce child abuse material, engaging in sexual acts with children while filming for child abuse material, producing child abuse material and possessing such material.
During Friday's proceedings, James's lawyer submitted a handwritten letter of apology prepared by his client as part of the sentencing material.
The court was also told that James remains segregated while in custody and spends 23½ hours each day in his prison cell.
For the victim's mother, however, the consequences extend far beyond the courtroom.
She described how everyday situations now trigger memories of the investigation and how the trust she once placed in childcare services has been shattered.
The mother said she hoped the conclusion of the sentencing process might provide "some small reprieve" for families affected by the case.
James is expected to be sentenced in the District Court next month.
The case has prompted renewed discussion about safeguarding measures within the childcare sector and the importance of identifying and responding swiftly to concerns involving individuals working with children.
