Paedophile pleads guilty to attacking sleeping toddlers at London nursery

The families of toddlers at a nursery where a serial paedophile attacked sleeping children have demanded to know how he was able to abuse "innocent victims who could not fight back".

- Vikram Dodd Police and crime correspondent

They said they were sickened by the discovery that Vincent Chan, 45, an early years worker, had apparently passed vetting procedures, and demanded answers about why safeguarding systems failed so comprehensively.

Chan was hired at one of Britain's largest nursery chains and used iPads from the classroom to film some of his attacks and perpetrate his abuse.

About 700 parents during the time Chan worked at the nursery in London, from 2017 to his arrest by 2024, have been contacted by police.

His repeated offending while entrusted with vulnerable children was discovered by chance.

He pleaded guilty yesterday to 26 offences from 2022 to 2024, including attacks on four young girls aged two to four whom he sexually assaulted on nursery premises, and offences relating to more than 25,000 indecent images of children.

Chan, of Finchley, north London, was employed at a now closed north London nursery run by Bright Horizons, one of Britain's biggest providers of early years care.

A review will establish whether safeguarding procedures were followed. Some parents are considering legal action against the nursery and told the Guardian that complaints they had made to the nursery about Chan's behaviour before his offending came to light had been ignored. Bright Horizons declined to comment on that aspect but pledged cooperation with the review.

Chan's attacks happened in broad daylight, when the nursery was full of children and staff.

About 20 parents of children at the nursery were at Wood Green crown court as Chan pleaded guilty to all 26 charges.