A nursery worker who used his position of trust to carry out a prolonged series of sexual offences against toddlers as young as two has been sentenced to 30 years in prison, with a minimum of 24 years to be served in custody before he can be considered for release.
Nathan Bennett, 30, from Corston near Bath, was convicted last month at Bristol Crown Court of eight offences including two counts of raping a child under 13, four counts of sexual assault of a child under 13, and two counts of sexual assault by penetration. He had previously pleaded guilty to a further 13 offences relating to four of the five victims. All five children were boys aged between two and three years old, attending Partou King Street Nursery in Bristol.
Bennett began working at the nursery in July 2024. Concerns were not raised until February 2025, when his manager reviewed CCTV footage following complaints from parents and staff about his behaviour. The footage showed Bennett placing his hands down a child’s trousers. He was sent home immediately and arrested by Avon and Somerset Police shortly afterwards.
During the four-day trial, the jury heard evidence that had alarmed colleagues long before the formal complaints. Staff described how Bennett would seat children on his lap for extended periods, appeared territorial over certain toddlers and their parents, and wore trousers with holes in the crotch area. One nursery practitioner told the court he had displayed what she described as a “jealous attachment” to five specific children and would “take control of them.”
The court also heard video interviews recorded with two of the children. The mother of one boy described how her son had demonstrated to her what had been done to him. “I got him to stop doing it. I asked him when did that happen. He said it happened at nursery,” she told the jury.
Following his conviction, police released footage of Bennett during his interview under caution. In it, he denied having become a nursery worker in order to gain sexual access to children, but said he found it easier to be around children “in a professional way.”
Prosecutor Virginia Cornwall described the case as “every parent’s nightmare.”
Investigating officer DC Bethany Cook said Bennett had been “trusted to care for very young children” but had instead committed sexual offences against them at his place of work. She acknowledged the investigation had been “deeply challenging and distressing for all concerned” and paid tribute to the strength shown by the affected families throughout the process.
The nursery closed in December 2025. Bennett will serve a minimum of 24 years before becoming eligible for parole, with a further six years to be served on licence.
