Disturbing details have emerged about how Australias worst paedophile Ashley Paul Griffith hid his monstrous nature in plain sight for almost 20 years, amid growing calls for an investigation into how child protection agencies missed the red flags.
On September 2 in Brisbane Local Court, Ashley Paul Griffith, 46, pleaded guilty to more than 300 child sexual offences, including 28 charges of rape, as well as ongoing sexual abuse and making child exploitation material.
Neighbours near his former inner-city Brisbane home knew Griffiths as a man who sat in the front yard playing beautiful music on his guitar.
Disturbingly, he could look across the street into a school playground as he played his alluring tunes.
Children were seen playing at the rear of a school oval during after-school care in direct line of Griffiths former front porch when A Current Affair recently visited the neighbourhood.
One neighbour told the program she felt disgusted by what she learned of Griffith, although she had no reason to suspect him while he lived near her.
Social media posts also show how unsuspecting his family was of Griffiths true nature.
Earlier this year Griffith pleaded guilty to multiple children while working in childcare centres across Brisbane between January 2003 and August 2022.
Happy birthday Ashley, have a great day in downtown Pisa, his mother wrote in a now deleted Facebook post to Griffith as he holidayed in the iconic Italian tourist destination in 2013.
Five of his convictions date from that period in Italy.
It was revealed by his sister in a 2014 Facebook post, that has since been removed, that Griffith was a huge fan of child star Shirley Temple, who was a Hollywood sensation during the 1930s.
Griffiths sister noted in a 2014 post that had Temple had died.
Oh no, Ashley Griffith will be devastated, she wrote.
Last year, his sister tried to sell his prized Fender guitar online, telling prospective buyers that her brother had passed away suddenly.
The darkened below of the Brisbane house that once was home to Australias worst paedophile Ashley Paul Griffith
He took immaculate care of his instruments and this is in perfect, as new condition, she wrote.
The insidious way Griffith groomed the families of potential victims was shown in a bio he wrote for parents at the centres he worked, where he boasted of having worked in childcare for 20 years.
Griffith said he loved developing close partnerships with children and families.
I believe children thrive when they feel loved, supported and safe, the pedophile wrote.
I also love creating experiences that excite children and foster their curiosity and wonder."
It has emerged that there were two complaints about Griffith made to authorities but both were ignored before his eventual arrest in August 2022 by Australian Federal Police, who were investigating another matter.
A staff member at a Uniting Church childcare centre filed a report that she had seen Griffith kissing a young girl during sleep time in 2021.
Officers found the complaint could not be substantiated claiming it did not contain any report of physical contact and they were thus unable to obtain a warrant to search his devices.
A second complaint in April 2022 involved a three-year-old girl at a different childcare centre who said she was touched inappropriately.
This was also dismissed by Queensland Police without Griffith being interviewed by detectives.
Griffith used this bio on childcare cenre websites to sell a version of himself that hid his predatory nature
The parent of the three-year-old who made the complaint expressed her frustration to A Current Affair.
How on earth did a man who was reported on two completely different incidences in two different childcare centres was allowed to work in a third childcare centre, the mother asked.
The opposition Liberal National Party has announced that if elected to office in the upcoming state election, it will order the Queensland Family and Child Commission to conduct a "full independent review" into the child protection system.
Shadow Attorney-General Tim Nicholls told Nine that what was needed is a thorough investigation and review of the system that allowed this monster to scrape through and commit the crimes that he did.
Miles government Police Minister Mark Ryan has asked the Police Commissioner for a second internal review into how officers handled initial complaints about Griffith.
When Griffith was arrested, police found more than 4000 images and videos of horrific child abuse on his devices.
Griffiths case was mentioned in court on Monday to set a date for his sentencing, which is likely to take two days due to the high number of family members expected to read their victim impact statements in court.
1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)
National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028