A nursery worker in Bristol has been found guilty of multiple horrific offences against five toddlers in a case that has been described as "every parent's nightmare". Nathan Bennett, 30, was convicted at Bristol Crown Court following a trial that revealed disturbing details of systematic abuse at a city centre childcare facility.
Court Conviction Details
The jury returned guilty verdicts on two charges of raping a child under 13, four counts of sexual assault of a child under 13, and two charges of assault of a child under 13 by penetration. Bennett, who lived in Corston near Bath, had previously pleaded guilty to 13 additional charges relating to four of the five victims, who were all aged just two years old at the time of the offences.
Nursery Employment and Discovery
Bennett began working at the Partou King Street nursery in Bristol in July 2024. The abuse came to light in February 2025 when nursery manager Victoria Tutton reviewed CCTV footage that showed Bennett putting his hands down the trousers of a child. He was immediately sent home from the facility, which subsequently closed following police intervention.
Pattern of Concerning Behaviour
During four days of evidence, the jury heard how staff had noted Bennett would sit children on his lap for extended periods and wear trousers with holes in the crotch area. Colleagues described him as appearing "territorial" over certain toddlers and their parents, with one practitioner testifying about his "jealous attachment" to five specific children and how he would "take control of them".
Child Testimony and Evidence
Video interviews with two children in the case, referred to as Child A and Child E, were played to the jury during the trial. In particularly poignant evidence, Child E's mother told the court how her son had demonstrated how he'd been abused at the nursery. When she asked when this had happened, he responded "it happened at nursery".
The child identified the abuser as "a man with the watch", which the mother said they "immediately" recognised as Bennett, who wore a smart watch that Child E "really liked". This identification proved crucial in building the case against the defendant.
Defendant's Testimony
Giving evidence during the trial, Bennett claimed he had been exposed to "a lot of sexual activity on myself" when he was a child. While he accepted that the contact between him and the toddlers was sexual, he denied having a sexual attraction to them, stating: "As I stated I think already, it was emulating what I had experienced as a child - presuming it was to make them happy and feel better."
Prosecution's Response
Prosecutor Virginia Cornwall described the case as "every parent's nightmare" and highlighted how Bennett had "admitted his sexual interest" in pre-school-age boys through his partial guilty pleas. The previously admitted charges included eight counts of sexual assault of a child under 13, four charges of causing a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity, and one charge of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child.
Police Investigation
Avon and Somerset Police launched an investigation following the discovery of the CCTV footage, which led to Bennett's arrest and the closure of the nursery located in the centre of Bristol. The case has raised serious questions about safeguarding procedures in childcare settings and the thoroughness of background checks for employees working with vulnerable young children.
