‘Cold and Sinister’ Nursery Worker Jailed for Toddler Rape
A teenage nursery worker has been sentenced to 15 years in custody for the rape of a three-year-old boy, in what a judge described as a heartbreaking case that left parents feeling responsible.
Thomas Waller, 18, was found guilty of raping one child and sexually abusing another within weeks of starting work at a nursery in Surrey in July 2024. He was sentenced at Guildford Crown Court on Friday, 14 November 2025.
Calculated Abuse of Trust
The court heard that Waller targeted boys in his care within days of being permitted to supervise children using the bathroom alone. A staff member reported seeing Waller alone in the toilets with one boy, known as Child D, after lunch in August. Subsequent forensic analysis discovered Waller's DNA on the child's underwear.
Following his arrest, police examined Waller's phone and discovered indecent images of another boy from the nursery, referred to in court as Child T.
Devastating Impact on Families
In a powerful victim impact statement, Child D's father described Waller as "cold, sinister and calculated" and said his son had been left with memories no child should ever have. He pleaded that "Tom cannot be allowed to do this again."
Child D's mother revealed her son had seen Waller as his "new best friend," stating the worker used his skills to build trust and then exploit a child who did not know the abuse was wrong. She condemned Waller for forcing the family through a trial by not pleading guilty.
The mother of Child T spoke of her initial shock and confusion, saying her three-year-old was "saying and doing things that no three-year-old should." She now lives in fear that his memories of the abuse could return and impact him for life, adding that she often cries herself to sleep grappling with guilt.
Sentencing and Condemnation
Sentencing Waller to a total of 15 years, Judge Claire Harden-Frost said he must serve 10 years in a young offender institution and a further 5 years on licence. She noted it was heartbreaking to see the parents of the victims blame themselves.
Rebecca Millardship of the Crown Prosecution Service stated that Waller's crimes represent a parent's worst nightmare. "He carefully planned his attacks on these three-year-old boys, deliberately isolating them from anyone else," she said, adding that the CPS believed Waller pursued qualifications in childcare due to a sexual interest in young children.
In defence, Aphra Bruce-Jones claimed Waller's offending was one of "opportunism rather than deliberate isolation" and that he did not accept the abuse, though he accepted the guilty verdicts. The nursery involved, which cannot be named, said it was "deeply shocked" and took immediate action when concerns were raised.
Thomas Waller was convicted of one count of rape, two counts of causing a boy under 13 to engage in sexual activity, and one count of making an indecent photograph of a child.
