- Registered sex offender worked at a daycare
- His wife has been stood down as the director
- Man dressed up as the centre’s Santa Claus
- READ MORE: 12-year-old rape victim gives birth
The director of a daycare who employed her sex offender husband as the centre’s maintenance man for almost a decade has been sacked.
Andrew William Vassel, 45, was last week fined $2,000 for failing to tell authorities about his employment at a daycare in southeast Queensland.
Vassel had worked at the Beenleigh Montessori Early Learning Centre in Logan since he was hired by his wife as a gardener and maintenance man in 2018.
He also dressed up as the centre’s Christmas Santa, though Vassel has since claimed he doesn’t recall the incident.
Vassel’s wife, 46-year-old Amanda Louise Vassel, was fired as the centre’s director after her husband’s criminal record came to light.
The registered sex offender served eight months behind bars after he was found guilty of two child sex abuse offences in 2007. Following his release, he was subject to a reporting order for 15 years, which ended in 2023.
However, police in June received a tip that Vassel had been working at the Beenleigh centre without reporting the employment to authorities.
Daily Mail Australia is not suggesting Vassel offended against children at the centre.
Amanda Louise Vassel (left), was sacked as the director of a Brisbane daycare centre after it was revealed she had hired her sex offender husband as the gardener and maintenance man
Andrew William Vassel was fined $2,000 after failing to tell authorities about his employment at Beenleigh Montessori Early Learning Centre. He is pictured here as the daycare Santa
He fronted Beenleigh Magistrates Court on Thursday and was fined $2,000 after pleading guilty to two charges of breaching reporting obligations.
Vassel claimed he didn’t think he needed to report his work in a childcare centre to police as he only worked outside opening hours.
Mrs Vassel was also charged with two breaches of child protection laws.
She is set to face Beenleigh Magistrates Court on August 19.
The daycare owners last week said they had contacted all parents and staff to ‘sincerely apologise for any angst this may have caused’.
‘I was horrified to learn of his criminal history prior to his engagement at the Beenleigh centre,’ the statement read.
The owner confirmed they knew Vassel did not have a Working With Children Check, also known as a Blue Card, but believed he had no contact with the children.
It’s understood at least one parent has withdrawn their two children from the centre, which cares for roughly 50 kids.
At least two children have been pulled from Beenleigh Montessori Early Learning Centre (pictured) since the news emerged
One disturbed mother said she felt ‘beyond sick’ that a predator had been employed by the facility.
‘I hope they shut this place down and revoke any licensing or ability for her and her husband to ever set foot around children again,’ she wrote online.
A Queensland Department of Education spokesman said the Early Childhood Regulatory Authority (ECRA) would investigate the incident.
‘Approved providers and nominated supervisors have clear responsibilities under the legislation regarding who may and may not be at the service premises when care is being provided to children,’ he said.
‘Where steps are inadequate to ensure the health and safety of children, the ECRA does not hesitate to take robust and appropriate action, including prohibition and prosecution.
‘Information about prohibition action cannot be published under the Education and Care Services National Law.
‘The department is not able to comment further on matters under investigation.’
