Former childcare worker convicted of indecent treatment of child, not guilty of rape, sentenced to 20 months with deportation
Consensus Summary
A former childcare worker named Arvind Ajay Singh, a 43-year-old Fiji citizen, was convicted of indecent treatment of a child under 16 but acquitted of digital rape charges after a three-day trial in Maroochydore, Queensland. The jury heard testimony from 10 witnesses, including the victim, and DNA evidence was inconclusive. Singh was sentenced to 20 months in prison, with half suspended, before deportation to Fiji. The abuse occurred at a childcare centre in 2022, where Singh worked on a visa that was later cancelled. His voluntary return to Australia in February 2026 followed a deportation in July 2025, during which he remained in the country for nearly three years despite being an accused offender. The victimâs parents described the trauma as devastating, emphasizing the betrayal of trust in a place meant to be safe for children. While all sources agree on the verdict and sentence, details about the victimâs testimony and the legal process vary slightly between reports.
â Verified by 2+ sources
Key details reported by multiple sources:
- Arvind Ajay Singh, a 43-year-old former childcare worker from Fiji, was found guilty of indecent treatment of a child under 16 years but not guilty of digital rape charges in Maroochydore District Court, Queensland, Australia
- Singh was sentenced to 20 months' imprisonment, with 10 months suspended and the remainder to be served before deportation to Fiji
- The trial lasted three days with 10 witnesses, including the victim, and Singh pleaded not guilty to both charges
- Singh worked at a childcare centre on a visa that was cancelled after the 2022 charges, but he remained in Australia until deported in July 2025 before voluntarily returning in February 2026 to face trial
- The victimâs parents described the abuse as a 'profound betrayal of trust' and stated the childcare centre was meant to be a safe place
- DNA testing results were neutral and did not support either the prosecution or defence case
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- Judge Glen Cash described the offence as 'brazen' and a 'betrayal of trust' during sentencing
- The court heard Singh incurred debt for deportation costs and it was unclear how his deportation would be funded
- The victimâs parentsâ joint impact statement read: 'What should have been a safe and nurturing place became the setting of a profound betrayal'
- Singh was detained in immigration detention for a month in May 2025 before deportation
- Singh surrendered his passport to police upon voluntary return to Queensland in February 2026
- The victimâs father stated on A Current Affair: 'What they put our daughter through was absolutely disgusting' and 'This didnât happen in a park or a dark alley, this happened at a daycare centre'
- The father called the process of bringing Singh to justice a 'prolonged and painful' four-year ordeal
- The mother praised the victim as 'incredible' and 'the bravest little girl' and said the family had to 'fight to get him off the streets'
- The father expressed devastation, saying: 'Iâd get lower if I didnât pay my taxes'
- The report highlighted Singh voluntarily returned to Queensland in February 2026 to stand trial
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- Article 3 (ABC) states Singh was remanded in custody before sentencing, while Articles 1 and 2 do not mention this detail
- Article 1 (ABC) mentions Singh was an 'unlawful citizen' after his visa was cancelled, but Article 2 (NEWSCOMAU) does not use this phrasing
- Article 3 (ABC) describes the childâs evidence as 'vague and weak' in the defenceâs closing statement, while Articles 1 and 2 do not include this specific critique
Source Articles
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A former childcare worker has been found not guilty of raping a child in his care after a three-day trial on the Sunshine Coast....
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The family of a young girl abused by a childcare worker said they are âdevastatedâ to learn of his 10-month jail sentence after he was found guilty....
Former childcare worker jailed for indecent treatment of child
A former childcare worker from Fiji is sentenced to jail for the indecent treatment of a child at a daycare centre in Queensland, and will be deported afterwards....