Ex-nursery worker guilty of 30 further sexual offences

An ex-nursery worker from north London has pleaded guilty to 30 further offences as the Met continues one of its most complex ever child sexual abuse investigations.

On Thursday, 29 January, Vincent Chan, 45 (28.10.80), a British national of Stanhope Avenue, Finchley, appeared at Highbury Magistrates’ Court for his first appearance on the new charges.

Chan pleaded guilty to 30 offences; 12 counts of taking and making of indecent images of children, one count of sexual assault, 11 counts of voyeurism, and six counts of outraging public decency.

The offending relates to 16 victims, 10 of whom were children at the time. In light of the complex nature and scale of Chan’s criminality, Met officers have worked sensitively to identify them. At this time, however, some victims remain unidentified.

On 3 December 2025, Chan previously pleaded guilty to 26 charges related to other child sexual offences.

He will be sentenced for all charges on Thursday, 12 February at Wood Green Crown Court.

Detective Superintendent Lewis Basford, who has led the investigation, said:

“Vincent Chan is a dangerous and predatory individual, and the scale of his abhorrent offending is shocking.

“Chan’s history demonstrates to us that he has sought out positions of trust involving contact with young girls, which allowed him to commit his crimes unchecked for so long.

“He has repeatedly exploited the trust of those around him, proving himself to be a danger to all girls and women.

“We thank the community for its continued cooperation throughout our investigation and reaffirm our commitment to supporting victims and their families.

“We are working closely with the NSPCC to ensure every family affected receives the help they need.”

Anyone with concerns should contact the dedicated NSPCC helpline on 0800 028 0828 for specialist support.

Offending history

Chan’s guilty plea comes after an investigation by Met officers following his arrest on 11 June 2024. At the point of the arrest, officers seized Chan’s devices which uncovered hundreds of pictures and videos showing child sexual offences.

Officers trawled through the entirety of Chan’s personal devices, continuing the investigation beyond his initial conviction. In total, 69 devices were retrieved and analysed as part of this investigation, and they contained a significant amount of material.

Amongst this, the officers discovered a multitude of offending which pre-dates the serious child sexual offences to which he previously pleaded guilty.

Before his employment at a nursery in West Hampstead, Chan had worked in another educational setting in North London from 2007 until 2017.

It was revealed that while working there, he had covertly filmed on the estate, using cameras to capture upskirting images of children. Chan had also filmed videos participating in sexual acts while alone at the location.

Footage recovered by officers also revealed that Chan had placed covert cameras around his own home. Detectives believe the hidden cameras were placed with the intention of capturing private acts such as individuals getting changed.

Chan had also recorded himself sexually assaulting a woman while she slept. This is thought to have occurred at an address in Finchley.

Chan, who was already in custody when the offending was discovered, was initially charged with 15 further counts of child sexual offending on Friday, 16 January. He was charged with another 15 counts sexual offending on Thursday, 29 January.

He remains in custody.

If you wish to speak to Met detectives or make a report relating to Chan, you can also contact police via the following email address OpLanark@met.police.uk.

You can also make a report to police by calling 101 from within the UK, quoting CAD3697/1DEC.

If you live in England or Wales and have been affected by this investigation, please contact the independent charity National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) by calling the dedicated helpline on 0800 028 0828 (8am-8pm, Monday to Friday and 9am-6pm, over the weekend). The helpline is there to help you get the information and support you may need. It is also way to report any concerns you may have about children, or any information you may wish to share about this case. Callers to this helpline can obtain support from dedicated child protection specialists who will be able to advise and take any necessary action.

Alternatively, Childline is run by the NSPCC as a service for children and young people who need support or are facing problems or dangers they want to talk about. Childline can be contacted 24/7. Calls to 0800 1111 are free and confidential. Children can also contact Childline online.