‘Utterly wicked’ nursery abuser jailed for 18 years
Just nowHarry LowLondon
Met PoliceAn “utterly wicked” nursery worker who filmed himself sexually abusing young children in his care in north-west London has been jailed for 18 years.
Vincent Chan, 45, admitted 56 charges including sexual assault by penetration, possession of indecent images and voyeurism.
Judge John Dodd KC told Wood Green Crown Court that Chan was a “perverse and depraved” man who had “clearly lost all sense of moral compass”. His offences spanned from 2008 to 2024 and his victims ranged in age from two to a woman in her 70s.
He filmed himself abusing young children at the Bright Horizons nursery in Finchley Road, West Hampstead, between 2007 and 2017.
Warning: This article contains distressing details
Chan, who was sentenced to a further eight years on extended licence, also confessed to spying on girls and women as they got undressed in their bedrooms and used the toilet, as well as sexually assaulting a woman as she slept.
He amassed a collection of at least 26,000 indecent images online, including clips of children being raped.
Judge Dodd said the mass of images and videos found by police clearly displayed Chan’s “deep-seated sexual obsession” with children, adding that he had breached the trust of children and parents “in the most despicable of ways”.
He added that Chan’s offending “escalated and became far more serious” after he left his job at a primary school in 2017 and starting work at the nursery.
In total, Chan admitted five counts of sexual assault by penetration, four of sexual assault by touching, one charge of sexual assault on a female, 23 counts of taking indecent images of children, six charges of making indecent images of children, six counts of outraging public decency, and 11 charges of voyeurism.
The Metropolitan Police also discovered that Chan had taken upskirt videos of girls in class when he worked as a teaching assistant at the primary school in Finchley, north London.
In impact statements, young victims said they had been left devastated and were coping with lasting trauma after being told about the abuse.
Families said his offending at the nursery and school – labelled “every parent’s worst nightmare” – had shattered their trust.
One woman covertly recorded said she felt “violated and humiliated” and was now paranoid about using the bathroom.
Another woman who was sexually assaulted as she slept called Chan “a person who shows a total disregard for human dignity”.
Families of some of the victims were in court to watch Chan be sentenced. Some of them left the hearing in tears.
A number of families are taking legal action against Bright Horizons and have called for the nursery to be prosecuted.
In a statement issued through their lawyers Leigh Day, they said: “We believe their safeguarding failures created the perfect hunting ground for a predator.
“Chan was not a lone wolf, and this was not about extraordinary technical skill. He was able to operate for years in a workplace where safeguarding failures were missed, minimised or ignored.”
On Thursday, the education secretary said mandatory CCTV in nurseries was being considered.
In a statement, Bright Horizons said: “This is a distressing time for families and all those impacted by Vincent Chan’s horrific crimes and our thoughts are first and foremost with them.
“Keeping children safe is our most important responsibility. Vincent Chan broke that trust.
“His actions were depraved and devious and go against the kindness and care our dedicated professionals provide to children each day.”
Camden Council said it was participating in the independent local child safeguarding practice review into the abuse.
The council in Barnet, where the school Chan worked at was located, said it was “carrying out safeguarding audits on early years providers in Barnet”, including “the use and monitoring of CCTV in these settings”.
A dedicated NSPCC helpline – 0800 028 0828 – has been set up for anyone affected. It operates between 08:00 and 20:00 GMT, Monday to Friday, and 09:00 to 18:00 at weekends.
If you have been affected by this story or would like support then you can find organisations which offer help and information at the BBC Action Line.
Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to hello.bbclondon@bbc.co.uk