Paedophile nursery worker admits filming himself sexually abusing children in his care

A nursery worker who filmed himself sexually abusing four children has pleaded guilty to 26 offences in what has been described as “one of the most significant and disturbing child protection cases in recent history”.

Vincent Chan, 45, a British national of Chinese heritage, abused children as young as three years old during nap time and took images of them in distress while using a work iPad.

Chan was arrested in June 2024 after a member of staff reported that he had filmed a child falling asleep in their food and set it to music, before showing the clip to a colleague. He was initially held on suspicion of neglect and released on bail. He lost his job at the nursery in West Hampstead, north London, which has since closed.

Following Chan’s arrest, officers seized 25 digital devices from his home and three from the nursery and discovered a cache of “deeply disturbing” material.

Over the course of their “highly complex” investigation, the police seized a total of 69 devices from his property, including hard drives and laptops, to uncover the extent of his offending.

He is known to have abused at least four small girls while working at a nursery between 2017 and 2024.

Chan, from Finchley, pleaded guilty to 26 offences relating to sexual assault offences against children and the taking and making of indecent images of children.

The offences comprised five counts of sexual assault of a child by penetration, four counts of sexual assault of a child by touching, 11 counts of taking indecent photographs or pseudo-photographs of a child, and six counts of making indecent photographs or pseudo-photographs of a child.

Wearing a grey tracksuit, Chan confirmed his identity and entered guilty pleas in front of the families of some of his victims who were present at Wood Green Crown Court.

Families of the victims have been contacted directly and are receiving specialist support, and the NSPCC has opened a helpline for all 700 families of children who attended the nursery during the time Chan worked there.

A statement from a law firm representing the families said: “As parents we are still trying to process the sickening discovery that our children were subjected to despicable abuse by Vincent Chan at Bright Horizons nursery. In admitting the charges, we are spared the prospect of hearing Vincent Chan’s crimes... described in graphic detail in a trial. We trust the judge to pass the strongest sentence to fit the crimes Vincent Chan has committed against young children, innocent victims who could not fight back.

“We feel that Bright Horizons has failed us, and we want answers. How was someone like Vincent Chan employed? Why did safeguarding systems fail completely? And how were such horrific crimes against children able to continue for so long without Bright Horizons nursery acting?

“We are concerned that failures at Bright Horizons allowed this abuse to go undetected, and we are committed to securing accountability for our children.”

In a statement, the nursery said Chan’s actions had been a “profound betrayal” and that the company had extensive safeguarding practices in place, including rigorous vetting and DBS criminal records checks.

It added: “Whilst this individual’s actions came to light after a colleague raised concerns and followed our whistle-blowing procedures to report him, we fully accept that the evidence shows the individual was able to commit these crimes despite our safeguarding measures.

“In light of this, we have commissioned an external expert in this field to undertake a full review of our safeguarding practices.”

Detective Superintendent Lewis Basford, who led the Metropolitan Police’s investigation, said: “Child sexual abuse is one of the most horrific crimes imaginable, and Chan’s offending spanned years, revealing a calculated and predatory pattern of abuse. He infiltrated environments that should have been safe havens for children, exploiting the trust of families and the wider community to conceal his actions and prey on the most vulnerable.

“Our investigation remains ongoing, and we are continuing to review digital devices and assess Chan’s conduct across all relevant settings. We recognise the member of staff who raised their concerns, as without that first report of child cruelty Chan’s abuse could have continued unchecked, putting countless more children at risk.

“These appalling offences have caused deep shock and distress. We thank the community for its continued cooperation and reaffirm our commitment to supporting victims and their families. If you have any concerns, please contact the dedicated NSPCC helpline on 0808 800 5000 for specialist support. We are working closely with the NSPCC to ensure every family affected receives the help they need.”

Chan is due to be sentenced on 23 January 2026 at Wood Green Crown Court.

Anyone who wants to share information about Chan can contact OpLanark@met.police.uk, or call 101 from within the UK, quoting the reference CAD3697/1DEC.