A London nursery worker has pleaded guilty to 26 offenses against children, including nine counts of sexual assault, in what the Metropolitan Police described as “one of the most harrowing and complex child sexual abuse investigations” the force has undertaken.
Vincent Chan, 45, from north London, admitted to multiple counts of sexual assault, taking indecent images, and producing indecent photographs of children, police confirmed on Wednesday. He is scheduled to be sentenced on January 23.
Police detailed that Chan’s offenses included five counts of sexual assault by penetration, four counts of sexual assault by touching, 11 counts of taking indecent photographs, and six counts of making indecent images. Some of the images involved the most severe category of abuse, prompting emotional reactions from those present in court.
Chan was arrested in June 2024 after a nursery staff member reported that he had been recording disturbing footage of children on a work-issued device. Forensic analysis of 69 digital devices uncovered substantial indecent material, including videos he recorded using a nursery-issued iPad.
Investigators said Chan had manipulated the footage with superimpositions and music and shared still images with colleagues. Detective Superintendent Lewis Basford described his crimes as a “calculated and predatory pattern of abuse,” exploiting the trust of families and targeting the most vulnerable.
Currently, four young children have been identified as victims. Their families have been visited by trained officers to provide support.
Leigh Day, representing some affected families, released a statement expressing parents’ shock and urging the court to impose the strongest possible sentence. “In admitting the charges, we are spared the prospect of hearing Vincent Chan’s crimes in graphic detail in a trial. We trust the judge to deliver justice for the innocent victims,” the statement read.
The West Hampstead nursery where Chan worked has since closed. Bright Horizons, the childcare provider, acknowledged shortcomings in safeguarding measures and has commissioned an independent review of its practices.
A spokesperson said, “Our thoughts are with the children and families affected. We are committed to offering them support during this incredibly difficult time.”
