A former nursery worker, Vincent Chan, has been sentenced to 18 years in prison at Wood Green Crown Court for a series of horrific sexual offences against young children and women spanning nearly two decades.

The 45-year-old from Finchley, north London, pleaded guilty to 56 charges, including sexual assault by penetration and touching of children under 13, taking and making indecent images of children, voyeurism, outraging public decency, and sexual assault on an adult woman.

Chan abused his positions of trust first at a primary school from 2007, where he covertly upskirted pupils for around a decade, and later at a now-closed Bright Horizons nursery branch in West Hampstead, north-west London, where he worked for nearly seven years until 2024. There, he filmed himself physically sexually abusing four young children (aged as young as two to four) during their care, particularly naptime, and created indecent images using software. He also took obscene photos of himself in a classroom setting.

In addition to the child abuse, Chan set up hidden cameras to voyeuristically watch women changing or using toilets and sexually assaulted a woman while she slept.

Judge John Dodd KC described Chan's actions as “sexually deviant,” “utterly wicked, perverse and depraved,” emphasising how he betrayed the trust placed in him by defenceless victims—particularly the young children who were too young to protect themselves or report the abuse. The judge highlighted the profound impact on multiple victims, including the children, their parents, colleagues, and others close to Chan, noting that parents should bear no self-blame for failing to protect their children—the responsibility lay entirely with Chan.

The offences came to light when Chan showed a colleague disturbing videos of children in distress (one edited with music), prompting a report to management and police involvement. Officers seized electronic devices, which Chan initially refused to unlock. Forensic examination revealed over 1 million indecent images and videos of child abuse, plus 300 hours of reviewed material, leading to further charges.

Police believe the offending was confined to his two workplaces, though concerns remain that additional adult victims may exist who have not reported incidents. Over 600 pupils passed through the school during his time there, and some victims may never be specifically identified due to the nature of the images.

Chan was sentenced to a total of 26 years on lead counts (18 years in custody, followed by 8 years on extended licence), with concurrent sentences for the remaining charges. He will be eligible for parole after serving two-thirds of the custodial term and will remain under strict conditions upon any release, including a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Bright Horizons has condemned Chan's actions as "depraved and devious" and expressed support for affected families, who are pursuing legal action against the nursery. A dedicated NSPCC helpline (0800 028 0828) remains available for anyone impacted, operating 8am-8pm weekdays and 9am-6pm weekends.

This case has renewed discussions about safeguards in early years settings, including potential mandatory CCTV in nurseries.