2 godzin temu
A nursery worker has been jailed for 18 years after sexually abusing children as young as two during a 15-year campaign of offending. Vincent Chan, 45, was sentenced at Wood Green Crown Court on Thursday for 56 charges spanning sexual assault, voyeurism, and possession of child abuse imagery.
The case emerged after Bright Horizons nursery in Finchley Road, West Hampstead, reported Chan to police on May 25, 2024, over concerns he had filmed distressed children. The subsequent investigation uncovered extensive sexual offenses against victims ranging from toddlers to a woman in her 70s.
Judge John Dodd KC, the Recorder of Haringey, described Chan's actions as «utterly wicked, perverse, and depraved». The judge said: «Every right thinking person hearing about your offending would feel revulsion and disbelief. You became a sexual predator and someone who clearly lost all sense of moral compass.»
Pattern of escalation
Chan worked for 10 years as IT support and teaching assistant at a primary school in Finchley, where his offending was largely confined to «looking, watching, and recording», the court heard. Judge Dodd said: «That all changed in 2017 when you left the primary school and took up your position in a nursery. Your offending escalated and became far more serious.»
At the nursery, Chan filmed himself sexually abusing girls aged two to four during naptime, organizing clips by victim's name. Police seized 51 electronic devices, including iPads from Bright Horizons, containing at least 26,000 indecent images of children. He amassed approximately 2,000 images of one teenage girl over three years.
The 56 charges included five counts of sexual assault by penetration, four counts of sexual assault by touching, 23 counts of taking indecent images of children, six charges of making indecent images, six counts of outraging public decency, and 11 charges of voyeurism.
Victims' trauma
The mother of one girl abused at the nursery told the court her daughter was «harmed at a time when she should have been safest». A woman covertly recorded said she felt «violated and humiliated». A teenage girl victim described being «shocked, disgusted, upset, unable to sleep and violated».
Chan must serve at least two-thirds of his 18-year sentence and will spend an additional eight years on licence after release. Judge Dodd said: «The breach of trust could hardly be greater. The nursery is a place where every parent and guardian expects their child will be safe.»
Legal action and accountability
Parents of Chan's victims, represented by law firm Leigh Day, are taking legal action against Bright Horizons and calling for the nursery to be prosecuted. In a statement issued Thursday, they said: «We believe their safeguarding failures created the perfect hunting ground for a predator.»
The parents added: «Chan was not a 'lone wolf', and this was not about extraordinary technical skill. He was able to operate for years in a workplace where safeguarding failures were missed, minimised or ignored.»
Leigh Day, representing 50 affected families, said: «We still do not know the full scale of his offending at Bright Horizons, Finchley Road. Every family deserves the truth, and every child who suffered must see justice done. Bright Horizons must also be held to account.»
Families are also calling for Camden Council to investigate alleged health and safety breaches at the nursery.
Nursery response
Bright Horizons said in a statement Thursday: «Keeping children safe is our most important responsibility. Vincent Chan broke that trust. His actions were depraved and devious and go against the kindness and care our dedicated professionals provide to children each day.»
The company said it is «increasing awareness of the ways staff can escalate concerns so that they do so quickly and confidentially» and has «brought forward several internal safeguarding audits and refresher trainings to ensure staff are fully aware of their obligations». An external expert review of its safeguarding systems has been launched.
The company added: «We are committed to understanding what happened so that we can learn from this terrible episode.»
Helen Reddy, Specialist Prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service, said: «Whether it was at the school, the nursery, inside his home or nearby, Vincent Chan was and is a serious danger to women and girls. He is a prolific sexual predator, and this sentence will ensure he cannot harm anyone.»
Chan's lawyer Nicholas Jones told the judge: «He doesn't want to be the person that he is, and he is willing to accept help.»
The NSPCC has established a helpline for those affected by Chan's offending on 0800 028 0828, operating 8am-8pm Monday-Friday and 9am-6pm weekends. Those with information can contact police at [email protected] or call 101, quoting CAD3697/1DEC.
Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
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