Khaberni - In one of the most heinous cases of sexual assault on children observed in the British capital, British national Vincent Chan (45 years old) pleaded guilty to 26 serious sexual offences, including direct assaults on children and capturing sexual photos and videos of them within a nursery where he worked in London.
According to the "Metropolitan" police, the accused carried out "9 charges of sexual assault on children, 11 charges of capturing inappropriate or synthetic images, and 6 charges of producing sexual materials for categories (A, B, and C), where category A is considered the most severe."
Final Verdict
The final judgement is scheduled to be issued on January 23, with expectations of severe penalties given the nature of the crimes and their severity.
The investigation revealed that Chan exploited his position in a nursery in West Hampstead, where he used to record children using an iPad owned by the institution, before he manipulated the shots, added music and jokes, and then shared them with colleagues.
As the investigation progressed, the police confiscated 69 digital devices from the accused's home and the nursery, inside which child sexual materials were found, some proving direct assaults occurred while he was alone with the children.
At least four children have been identified as victims of sexual assaults or inappropriate filming.
A Brave Report Stopped the Chain of Crimes
The lead investigator, Louis Basford, described the case as "horrific", affirming that the investigation is still ongoing, and that a report from just one employee was the spark that uncovered everything. He said, "If it wasn’t for the bravery of the first to speak out, Chan would have continued his crimes unchecked, putting more children at risk."
The police informed the families of the identified children and provided them with specialized psychological support, and a special helpline from the "NSPCC" association was established for any family whose children were in the nursery at the time the crimes occurred.
Kelly Ann Fitzgerald from "NSPCC" said, "The scale of the assaults is shocking, and the effects of such crimes can be devastating, but we are working to ensure that every child and family receives the necessary support to recover."
"An Unbearable Shock"
Some of the children's families released a statement expressing their shock "at discovering that their children had been exploited in a place that was supposed to protect them," assuring their confidence that the court "will impose a penalty commensurate with the heinousness of the crimes."
The families added, "We appreciate the police's efforts, but we know that the investigation is not over yet."
A Complex Investigation and Shocking Materials
The case began in June 2024 following the initial arrest of the accused after a report that he filmed "disturbing" clips inside the nursery, and upon inspecting his devices, evidence proving actual sexual assaults within the facility emerged.
Investigations to date show no evidence of assaults beyond the confines of the nursery.
The case has shaken public opinion, not only because of the magnitude of the crimes, but because the offender was employed at a place supposed to be one of the safest for children.
