A nursery worker has admitted to a horrific catalogue of sexual offences against young children, following what detectives have called one of the Metropolitan Police's most disturbing and complex child sexual abuse investigations.
A Calculated Predator in a Place of Safety
Vincent Chan, 45, from Finchley, pleaded guilty to 26 sexual offences at Wood Green Crown Court. The charges relate to his time working at a now-closed Bright Horizons nursery in West Hampstead, north London, between 2017 and 2024.
The catalogue of crimes includes 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 such images. The indecent images were categorised across the most severe A, B, and C scales.
Chan will be sentenced at the same court on 23 January 2026.
How the Abuse Was Uncovered
The investigation began after a fellow staff member reported Chan for filming a child falling asleep in their food on a nursery device, setting it to music for "comedic purposes", and sharing it with colleagues. This report of child cruelty in June 2024 led to his initial arrest on suspicion of neglect.
Officers seized 25 digital devices from his home and three from the nursery. Chan was released on bail and lost his job. A forensic analysis of the devices, completed in July 2025, revealed a trove of indecent images and videos of children, plus evidence of contact sexual offences.
This led to a second arrest in September 2025, where police seized a further 26 devices from his home and 15 from the nursery. Police have so far identified four children as direct victims of Chan's contact offences.
Aftermath and Support for Families
Detective Superintendent Lewis Basford, who led the investigation, stated: "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."
He praised the staff member who initially came forward, noting that without that report, "Chan's abuse could have continued unchecked".
The families of the identified victims are receiving specialist support. Given the scale of potential risk, the NSPCC is operating a helpline for all 700 families whose children attended the nursery during Chan's employment.
In a statement issued through Leigh Day solicitors, affected families said: "We are still trying to process the sickening discovery that our children were subjected to despicable abuse... We trust the judge to pass the strongest sentence to fit the crimes."
A spokesperson for Bright Horizons said the company's safeguarding measures, including rigorous vetting, had been breached and that an external expert would review all practices.
Anyone with information is urged to contact the Met Police on 101, quoting reference CAD3697/1DEC, or email OpLanark@met.police.uk.
