Ashley Paul Griffith is currently serving a life sentence, having been found guilty last year of 307 crimes related to the sexual abuse of 69 children, which includes 28 charges of rape, primarily targeting girls aged three to five.

The ‘In Plain Sight: Review into System Responses to Child Sexual Abuse’ conducted by the Child Death Review Board revealed that the abuse “could and should have been detected and disrupted earlier.” It highlighted that parents, children, and staff had voiced concerns numerous times, yet these warnings were left unresolved.

The investigation identified five key instances where intervention could have intercepted Griffith’s actions and noted 13 additional circumstances that allowed him to continue his abuse unnoticed.

The report illustrates how Griffith was able to “groom and deceive everyone around him” while being quietly transferred from one center to another. This movement was facilitated by isolated information within organizations and agencies, where “warning signs were never fully connected.”

There was no “clear pathway” for staff, parents, and survivors to escalate their concerns after police cited “insufficient evidence” to press charges.

It was only when Griffith uploaded digital images of the abuse that he was finally caught, not because of any response to the legitimate expressions of concern by adults and children, the report found.

In response, the Queensland government has announced a reportable conduct scheme will launch in July next year, almost a decade after the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse in 2017 recommended that every state and territory do so.

A Reportable Conduct Scheme is a legal framework that requires certain organisations to report, investigate, and respond to allegations of child abuse.

The review found there were “at least three instances” where Griffith would have been reported to the Reportable Conduct Scheme had one been in place.

Premier David Crisafulli said the review, announced by the government shortly after it took office, had uncovered “dark failures”.

“These findings will send a shiver down the spine of Queensland parents and we owe it to every family to make the system safer,” Crisafulli said.

“This includes fast-tracking Queensland’s Reportable Conduct Scheme, which Labor never took seriously, because we must deliver stronger safeguards to keep children safe.”

The review made a total of 28 recommendations focused on improving leadership, institutional and organisational practice, responses to victim-survivors, strengthening intelligence gathering and actioning, building community awareness around child sexual abuse, and reforming the criminal justice system.

Child Death Review Board Chairperson Luke Twyford said the report “confronts the uncomfortable reality of the prevalence of child sexual abuse in Queensland”.

“I sincerely acknowledge the courage of every victim-survivor and their families who shared their experience in this review.

“I recognise their hurt, suffering and betrayal, and I hope this report helps in their journey towards healing, while driving change that can benefit many others.

“A system that responds only after harm occurs is not one that protects children, which is why our recommendations call for transformational reform that delivers a child safeguarding approach in Queensland that connects systems, shares intelligence, builds community confidence to detect abuse, responds appropriately to risks, and better supports healing for those who have experienced harm.”

Readers seeking support can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or beyond blue on 1300 22 4636.

Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800.