Nursery worker admits string of sex assaults against children as police say there could be hundreds more victims

Nursery worker Vincent Chan, 45, of Finchley, north London, pleaded guilty at Wood Green Crown Court on Wednesday to 26 offences including nine counts of sexual assault of a child.

The offences include five counts of sexual assault of a child by penetration, four counts of sexual assault of a child by touching, 11 counts of taking indecent photographs or pseudo-photographs of a child, and six counts of making indecent photographs or pseudo-photographs of a child.

The latter offences involved images across categories A, B, and C, with category A depicting the most severe abuse.

He reportedly took the images on an iPad normally used to send pictures to parents documenting a child's day.

Investigators found a trove of 25,000 indecent images of other children kept on nearly 70 devices, it is understood.

Around 20 parents whose children attended the Bright Horizons nursery on Finchley Road, which has now permanently closed, were in court for the hearing today.

Some were in floods of tears while Chan kept his head down throughout.

Detective Superintendent Lewis Basford, who led the Met’s investigation, said: “Child sexual abuse is one of the most horrific crimes imaginable, and Chan’s offending spanned years, revealing a calculated and predatory pattern of abuse.

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"He infiltrated environments that should have been safe havens for children, exploiting the trust of families and the wider community to conceal his actions and prey on the most vulnerable.

“Our investigation remains ongoing, and we are continuing to review digital devices and assess Chan’s conduct across all relevant settings."

He added that the Met recognises a member of staff who first raised concerns, warning that without them "countless more children" would have been put at risk.

He said: “These appalling offences have caused deep shock and distress. We thank the community for its continued cooperation and reaffirm our commitment to supporting victims and their families."

The families have of the victims have since issued a heartbreaking statement.

They said: "As parents we are still trying to process the sickening discovery that our children were subjected to despicable abuse by Vincent Chan."

The parents and families of around 700 children who could have been under Chan's care during his seven-year period working at the nursery from 2017 until his arrest in 2024 have been contacted by police.

Alison Millar, head of the abuse team and partner at law firm Leigh Day, described the case as "absolutely shocking".

She said: "Even as an experienced abuse claims lawyer, it is difficult to hear the descriptions of Chan’s sexual offences against such very young, defenceless children, as well as wider concerns about maltreatment of the children in his care. 

“In addition to the abhorrent sexual offending, there is also a wider group of families affected by Chan's behaviour.  

“We urge the police to review their decision not to charge Chan with child neglect offences, and to complete their review of Chan’s devices and images."

Families of the identified children have been contacted directly and are receiving specialist support.

A dedicated NSPCC helpline has been set up for all families whose children attended the nursery to discuss concerns and access support.

Those with concerns are advised to contact the dedicated NSPCC helpline on 0800 028 0828 for specialist support.

The Met is working closely with the NSPCC to ensure every family affected receives the help they need.

A spokesperson for the nursery said: "This individual’s actions represent not only a violation of the victims, but also a profound betrayal of the trust placed in him by families and colleagues.

"We have extensive safeguarding practices in place, designed to create safe environments for children to learn and grow. These include rigorous recruitment vetting and checking procedures. The individual involved had an enhanced DBS and was reference-checked.

"Whilst this individual’s actions came to light after a colleague raised concerns and followed our whistle-blowing procedures to report him, we fully accept that the evidence shows the individual was able to commit these crimes despite our safeguarding measures.

"In light of this, we have commissioned an external expert in this field to undertake a full review of our safeguarding practices."