<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A childcare worker accused of abusing youngsters will face a directions hearing in a county court after pleading not guilty to more than 150 offences.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/victoria-joshua-dale-brown-alleged-childcare-paedophile-hit-with-83-new-charges/4136e919-c489-425a-9e05-3d3082f78e3a" rel="" target="_blank" title="Childcare worker Joshua Dale Brown"><span>Childcare worker Joshua Dale Brown</span></a><span> has pleaded not guilty to abusing young children in his care and creating child abuse material.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Brown, 27, formally entered the pleas in Melbourne Magistrates Court today while appearing on a videolink from prison.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/so-called-isis-bride-arrested-and-charged-with-terrorism-offences/3f777b7e-ef3a-4c1a-bd85-996697d30d0c" rel="" target="_blank" title="Melbourne 'ISIS bride' charged with terrorism offences"><strong><span>Melbourne 'ISIS bride' charged with terrorism offences</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>LIVE UPDATES:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/us-israel-iran-war-live-updates-may-28-donald-trump-latest-world-news-headlines/318bdb44-2cb7-4566-ba49-8ddfcd6fab6e" target="" title="US begins more strikes on Iran"><strong><span>US begins more strikes on Iran</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The more than 150 charges relate to allegations of abusing children, bestiality, producing child abuse material, and contaminating food with intent to cause public alarm and anxiety.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Brown's defence barrister Rishi Nathwani KC told the court his client accepted a significant amount of the offending but there were still issues over which charges should proceed.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/accused-childcare-worker-joshua-brown-pleads-not-guilty-to-150-offences/ca4a5dd3-0b78-4307-97ee-bab5f39dc901" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Nathwani said discussions with prosecutors had been exhausted and the parties needed the assistance of the higher court.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"He will enter 'not guilty' pleas, which are really holding pleas in the circumstances," the barrister said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>When magistrate Donna Bakos asked Brown how he intended to plead to each of the charges, he responded twice, "not guilty, your honour".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>She ordered Brown to face the Victorian County Court for a directions hearing in June.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He was remanded in custody after not making an application for bail.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Brown worked at 23 childcare centres across Melbourne between January 2017 and May 2025, Victoria Police say.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>They included Creative Garden centre and Nino Early Learning Adventures, both located in Point Cook in Melbourne's south-west, and Aussie Kindies Early Learning Centre in Keilor.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Brown first faced court on May 12, 2025, for a filing hearing on more than 70 charges but the case was suppressed until police publicised the allegations on July 1.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Victorian authorities then advised the parents of about 2000 children who crossed paths with Brown to get them tested for infectious diseases.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A further 80 charges were laid in the subsequent months but prosecutors on Thursday withdrew six offences before the case was uplifted to the County Court.</span></div></div>