A nursery worker in north London has admitted to 26 charges of sexual offences involving young children, including sexual assault by penetration, assault by touching, and the creation of indecent images, prosecutors said Wednesday. The man, 45-year-old Vincent Chan, entered guilty pleas during a hearing at Wood Green Crown Court.
Police described the case as among the most “harrowing and complex” that the Metropolitan Police have ever handled.
Chan, who worked at a nursery in Finchley Road, West Hampstead — a branch of a well-known chain that has since closed — was first flagged by a whistleblower. Investigators later discovered “deeply disturbing material” on devices seized from the nursery and on his personal equipment. Detectives also found video footage showing abuse of children under his care, some recorded using nursery iPads.
Judge David Aaronberg KC closed the hearing by telling Chan: “Mr Chan, you have pleaded guilty to matters which are going to result in a custodial sentence of many years.” Sentencing is scheduled for 23 January.
Det Supt Lewis Basford, who led the investigation, said the allegations had caused “deep shock and distress” among officers and the communities involved.
Parents of affected children issued a joint statement through their solicitor after Chan’s plea. They said they were still struggling to come to terms with the “sickening discovery” that their children had suffered abuse.
“As parents, we are still trying to process … that our children were subjected to despicable abuse,” the statement said. The families called out the nursery’s management, questioning how Chan was employed and how such abuses went undetected. “We are concerned that failures in management and supervision at the nursery allowed this abuse to continue for so long without safeguarding teams acting,” they said.
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A spokesperson for the nursery operator — formerly known as Bright Horizons — said: “We are shocked and appalled by this individual’s horrific crimes. Our thoughts are first and foremost with the children and families affected, and we are committed to offering support to them during this incredibly difficult time.”
Prosecutor Helen Reddy, giving the Crown Prosecution Service’s official assessment, described Chan’s crimes as “a heinous breach of trust.” She said the charges reflected the seriousness and the scale of his offences, and stressed that the evidence presented was compelling.
Court records show Chan had previously passed a background check from the Disclosure and Barring Service before being hired. He had worked in other roles, including as a karate club instructor and at a school, before joining the nursery. In his nursery role, he held positions such as art specialist, room leader, and nursery nurse — caring for children aged between two and four years old.
The breadth of Chan’s prior employment and the maintained registration despite his prior history have raised questions about the efficacy of safeguarding procedures in child-care settings.
