Nursery Worker Sentenced to 30 Years for Child Sexual Abuse
A former nursery worker received a 30-year prison sentence for sexually abusing young children in what the judge called “every parent’s nightmare.”
Nathan Bennett, 30, from Corston near Bath, committed his crimes against five boys at Partou King Street Nursery in Bristol. The victims were only two and three years old at the time.
In February, a court convicted Bennett of multiple sexual abuse charges, including two counts of rape. He had previously admitted 13 other sexual offence charges involving four of the boys.
During sentencing, His Honour Judge William Hart described Bennett as “evil” and an “incorrigible and dangerous paedophile.” The judge stated that Bennett had been
“lurking, ready” to abuse children and “pollute their innocence” with his “own vile desires.”
Bennett will serve at least two-thirds of his 30-year sentence behind bars.
How the Abuse Was Discovered
Bennett started working at the nursery in July 2024. By February 2025, staff raised concerns about his behaviour with certain children. Prosecutors revealed he would “favour” a specific group of five boys.
Nursery staff suspended Bennett after reviewing CCTV footage showing him putting his hands down a boy’s trousers. They immediately notified the Local Authority Designated Officer and Avon and Somerset Police.
Following a six-month criminal investigation, authorities charged Bennett. Ofsted subsequently closed the nursery in December 2025.
Parents Describe Ongoing Trauma
The court heard emotional statements from victims’ parents during the sentencing hearing. The mother of Child E described her son as a “hilarious, cheeky, happy little boy.” She explained that Bennett had “manipulated and ultimately destroyed” her son’s trust.
“What will our son remember as he grows?” she asked.
“We will not truly know the impact of Nathan’s actions for many years.”
The father of Child B said he felt “dead inside” after learning about his son’s abuse. His mother reported that she had “screamed and cried.” The trauma led to a job loss, and they desperately need therapy they cannot afford.
Parents of Child C described their “sunny child” who became “obsessed” with Bennett after being groomed. “Since we found out that our son was involved, our emotions have changed,” they shared. “We were distraught at the start and now we are angry.”
Police Investigation Reveals Horrifying Details
Detective Inspector Lucy Forde from Avon and Somerset Police led the investigation. Officers spent “hundreds of hours” reviewing footage from the nursery’s 18 cameras. This helped them isolate Bennett’s offending period and identify affected children.
Unfortunately, the footage only spanned back one month before being overwritten.
Forde described the footage as “absolutely sickening.” She explained, “It is him offending against children in the middle of the nursery in sight of other children. There is nothing that could prepare you for seeing that.”
Through CCTV evidence, investigators identified four victims. A fifth child came forward after confiding in their parents about what happened.
“I worry there will be other victims that we haven’t been able to identify,” Forde added. “They are too young to understand what’s happened to them.”
If you or someone you know has been affected by sexual abuse, support services are available confidentially.
