Sick nursery worker sexually abused children and turned attacks into ‘comedy’ videos

Vincent Chan, 45, molested children who were meant to be under his care at a nursery in West Hampstead – he pleaded guilty to 26 charges including nine counts of sexual assault of a child

A depraved nursery worker has admitted sexually abusing kids as young as two and turning the attacks into ‘comedic’ videos. Vincent Chan, 45, molested four children who were meant to be under his care at a nursery in West Hampstead between August 2022 and June 2024.

Chan, of Stanhope Avenue in Finchley, pleaded guilty to 26 charges at Wood Green Crown Court on Wednesday (December 3), MyLondon reports.

The offences include 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. The latter offences involved images across categories A, B, and C, with category A depicting the most severe abuse.

Families of the identified children have been contacted directly and are receiving specialist support.

Speaking through lawyers at Leigh Day, they said: “As parents we are still trying to process the sickening discovery that our children were subjected to despicable abuse by Vincent Chan at the nursery.

“In admitting the charges, we are spared the prospect of hearing Vincent Chan’s crimes at the nursery 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 would like to thank the Metropolitan Police Service for their assistance and support so far, but appreciate that their investigations in this case are not yet complete.”

Chan’s guilty plea comes after a determined investigation from Met officers following his arrest on suspicion of child cruelty in June 2024.

It was prompted by a member of staff at the nursery who reported that Chan had been capturing disturbing footage of children. Chan had been using a nursery-issued iPad to record the footage, which he then distorted by adding superimpositions and music for comedic purposes. He also shared this footage with his colleagues.

At the point of arrest, officers seized 25 digital devices from his home and three from the nursery. Forensic teams trawled through the devices, where they uncovered substantial amounts of indecent images and videos of children, including evidence of sexual offences against children.

The videos depicted sexual contact offending taking place within the nursery, at times when Chan was responsible for minding the children.

Following this discovery, officers worked quickly to rearrest Chan in September and formally charged him with the child sexual offences the following day.

A further 26 digital devices were seized from his home and 15 more from the nursery. In total, 69 devices were retrieved and analysed by Met officers as part of this investigation.

Officers continue to investigate and review the materials.

Detective Superintendent Lewis Basford, who led the Met’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.”

Kellie Ann Fitzgerald, NSPCC Assistant Director for London and the South East, said: “We are shocked and horrified by the nature and scale of the child sexual abuse that has come to light through this police investigation. Our thoughts are with all the children, families, and communities that have been impacted by Chan’s appalling breach of trust.

“The effects of child sexual abuse can be devastating for victims and their families, so part of our response must be to offer hope and healing. Alongside the local safeguarding partnerships, our first priority is to ensure that anyone directly impacted or worried about their child has the fastest possible access to the help and support they need. A dedicated NSPCC helpline has been set up – 0800 028 0828 – and our child protection specialists will be able to advise and take any necessary action to ensure the right support is put in place for every family.

“We are working with a network of specialist child sexual abuse services to provide therapeutic support for any child or parent who needs it. At the NSPCC, our ‘Letting the Future In’ service provides children and parents with the space, help and resources to process what has happened to them, and take vital steps towards recovery.

“In addition, our professional learning services are bringing together a range of resources for early years, education and community organisations to promote safe practice, and our schools service is working with education settings to help children know who they can turn to so they can be protected and supported. We encourage any setting which feels it could benefit from this support to reach out to us.”

If you wish to speak to Met detectives or make a report relating to Chan, you can also contact police via the following email address OpLanark@met.police.uk.

You can also make a report to police by calling 101 from within the UK, quoting CAD3697/1DEC.

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