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Accused child abuser Joshua Dale Brown has told a court he was prepared to accept “a significant amount of the offending” as his case was set down for trial.
Mr Brown, 27, appeared in the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Thursday afternoon where he formally pleaded not guilty to 153 charges.
The former childcare worker was first charged in May last year before police laid dozens more charges in December.
It’s alleged Mr Brown sexually abused multiple children at four childcare centres across Melbourne between March 2019 and February 2025.
He is charged with offences including sexual touching of a child, sexual penetration of a child, producing child abuse material and bestiality unrelated to the childcare centres.
His lawyer, Rishi Nathwani KC, told the court efforts to negotiate with prosecutors had been “exhausted” and the assistance of the County Court would be required to determine the charges.
“What I can say is that while Mr Brown accepts quite a significant amount of the offending, the issue is … what that means in terms of the charges,” he said.
Mr Nathwani described the not guilty plea as a “holding plea” until charges could be resolved.
In court, Crown prosecutor Michael Stanton, SC, said three new charges had recently been laid and six charges had been withdrawn, bringing the total number to 153.
According to the Victorian Government, Mr Brown worked at 23 childcare centres between January 2017 and May 2025. A list of those centres has been published online.
Health authorities recommended about 2,000 children undergo health screenings after the alleged offending came to light.
When asked how he responded to the charges, Mr Brown replied; “Not guilty, Your Honour”.
Mr Brown was remanded to appear in the County Court for a directions hearing on June 23.
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