A nursery worker has confessed to sexually abusing toddlers as young as two, recording his disturbing actions and creating twisted videos for supposed comedic purposes.
Vincent Chan, aged 45, committed acts of molestation against four young children under his care at a nursery in north London from August 2022 to June 2024. Chan entered a guilty plea to 26 charges at Wood Green Crown Court, which included five counts of sexually assaulting a child through penetration, four counts of sexual touching, and 11 counts of taking indecent photographs of children aged between two and four years old.
Moreover, he confessed to producing six indecent images of children, including Category A images, which depict the most severe forms of abuse. Authorities are providing direct support to the affected families, with an NSPCC helpline established to address concerns and offer assistance to parents whose children attended the nursery.
Chan, residing on Stanhope Avenue, Finchley, north London, had been employed at the nursery for nearly seven years before being exposed as a predator. During his court appearance in a grey tracksuit and glasses, he admitted his guilt to each charge presented.
Detective Superintendent Lewis Basford, leading the investigation, expressed shock and dismay over the heinous crimes. Basford highlighted Chan’s calculated and predatory behavior, spanning years and exploiting environments meant to be safe for children. The perpetrator abused the trust of families and the community to perpetrate acts against the most vulnerable.
The British national was initially arrested on suspicion of child cruelty on June 11, 2024, following a report from a colleague who witnessed him recording disturbing footage of infants using an iPad provided by the nursery. Chan altered the footage with overlays and music for humorous purposes, sharing edited images with coworkers.
Upon his arrest and the seizure of 25 devices from his residence and three from the nursery, authorities discovered a significant number of indecent child images and incriminating evidence.
Represented by lawyers at Leigh Day, families of the affected children expressed their profound shock and disgust at Chan’s actions. They emphasized their ongoing struggle to come to terms with the abuse suffered by their children under Chan’s care at the nursery.
The videos captured the depraved acts occurring during Chan’s supervision of the children at the nursery. Following a subsequent arrest on September 8 and charges of child sex offenses the next day, officers seized an additional 26 digital devices, including 15 from the nursery, totaling 69 devices. Authorities are continuing to examine the materials but have not found further evidence of physical offenses.
To date, four children have been identified as victims in the footage, and their families have been notified and provided with support services.