Paedophile nursery worker found guilty of multiple sexual offences against children
A nursery worker has been found guilty of sexually abusing children in a horrific case that is “every parent’s nightmare”.
While working at Partou King Street nursery in Bristol, Nathan Bennett was caught on CCTV displaying predatory behavior towards young children, including putting his hands down a child’s trousers.
Following his arrest following a six-month police investigation, Bennett was told at a hearing at Bristol Crown Court that he had shown a “jealous bond” with the five children and that he would “take control of them”.
On Monday, the 30-year-old man was found guilty of eight charges, including rape, sexual assault and assault by penetration of children as young as two or three years old. He had previously pleaded guilty to a further 13 charges relating to four of the five victims, who were two years old at the time.
Prosecutor Virginia Cornwall told the jury at the start of the trial that the events at the now-closed preschool “were every parent’s nightmare.”
Following Bennett’s conviction, the victims’ families said they were “devastated by the horrific abuse the children suffered at the hands of someone we trusted to care for them.”
The hearing heard that less than a year after Bennett started working at the nursery in July 2024, manager Victoria Tutton watched CCTV footage showing Bennett putting his hands down a child’s trousers and reported him to police.
The jury was told staff noted he made children sit on his lap for long periods of time, wore trousers with holes in the crotch area and appeared “territorial” towards some young children and their parents.
At the hearing, one of the victims, who was only 3 years old, referred to in court as Child E, testified. She describes how she was sexually assaulted by Bennett in the “toilet area” of her nursery. “Then I turned around and he was gone,” the boy said.
Giving evidence, Bennett, of Corston, Bath, said he was “imitating” what was done to him as a child and denied having sexual attraction to children.
He was convicted of two counts of child rape, four counts of sexual assault and two counts of assault by penetration. He had previously pleaded guilty to eight charges of sexual assault against a child, four counts of causing a child to engage in sexual activity and one count of engaging in sexual activity in front of a child.
Following the jury’s verdict, Bennett was remanded into custody by Judge William Hart ahead of sentencing on March 16. “I will inevitably sentence you to a very long period of custody,” the judge told Bennett.
Following Bennett’s dismissal, families of abused children said they were devastated by Bennett’s crimes.
In a statement released by law firm Leigh Day, which represents several of the families involved, they said: “Nothing can explain the shock, anger and heartbreak we feel or the deep and lasting impact we are sure this will have on the families.
“The children were innocent and completely defenseless; they were in a place that was supposed to be safe.”
Families are now seeking answers as to why Bennett was allowed to work with young children and what checks were made.
Temporary Detective Inspector Lucy Ford, of Avon and Somerset Police, said: “Nathan Bennett was trusted to look after children but committed sexual offenses against very young children at work.
“An investigation involving such young children was extremely challenging and distressing for everyone involved.”
