A Gold Coast man dubbed Australia’s worst paedophile has launched an appeal against his life sentence.
Lawyers for Ashley Paul Griffith are arguing the punishment is ‘manifestly excessive’.
It comes over a month after the 46-year-old was jailed for life with a non-parole period of 27 years for abusing 69 girls while working in childcare centres in Brisbane and Italy.
Griffith pleaded guilty to more than 300 charges, including 28 counts of rape, with Brisbane District Court Judge Paul Smith describing his offending as “abhorrent” and “depraved”.
“People expect their children will be protected in childcare centres and this will be a concern to every parent in this state,” Justice Smith said during Griffith’s sentencing in November.
He is not eligible to apply for parole until 2049.
