An Australian former childcare worker has been charged with more than 1,600 offences after allegedly filming himself abusing 91 young girls and sharing the sick clips on the dark web.

The 45-year-old is said to have targeted his young victims at a dozen daycare centres across Australia and overseas between 2007 and his arrest last year.

Charges include 136 counts of rape and 110 of having sex with children aged under 10.

Australian Federal Police (AFP) Assistant Commissioner Justine Gough described the allegations as ‘unfathomable’ and ‘chilling’.

Police said the offences were carried out at 10 childcare centres in Queensland, one in New South Wales, and another abroad.

They added the 87 Australian children allegedly abused have all been identified and informed of the investigation.

Ms Gough said officers were still working with overseas law enforcement to determine the identity of the other four.

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The man is accused of using his phone and a camera to record his offending and was allegedly found with 4,000 child sex abuse images following his arrest last August.

Investigators said they managed to track him down after identifying items in the background of images and videos on the dark web and tracing them to a centre in Brisbane.

Searches of properties including his home revealed devices filled with abuse images as well as other evidence which helped them to identify further victims in NSW, they added.

The man was reported to police in 2021 and 2022 but AFP said there was ‘insufficient evidence’ at the time to act.

Fellow Assistant Commissioner Michael Fitzgerald told reporters: ‘It’s beyond the realms of anyone’s imagination what this person did to these children.

‘I can only say that you try not to be shocked after a long period of time in the police and crime reporting but this is a horrific, horrific case.’

The suspect, who has yet to be named, has been remanded in custody ahead of an appearance at Brisbane Magistrates’ Court on August 21.

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