Nursery Worker Claims Abuse Was Emulating Childhood Trauma in Court
A nursery worker accused of sexually abusing five toddlers at a Bristol childcare facility has claimed in court that he was 'emulating' the abuse he suffered during his own childhood. Nathan Bennett, aged 30 and from Corston, Bath, is currently on trial at Bristol Crown Court, facing serious allegations of preying on young children at the Partou King Street nursery in Bristol.
Bennett has entered not guilty pleas to eight charges, which include rape, sexual assault, and assault by penetration. However, he has pleaded guilty to 13 other charges involving five children, all aged between two and three years old. The case has sent shockwaves through the local community and raised urgent questions about safeguarding in early years settings.
Arrest and Initial Discovery
The defendant was arrested after a manager at the Bristol nursery observed him on CCTV allegedly carrying out a sexual assault on a child in February of last year. This critical piece of surveillance footage prompted immediate action, leading to Bennett's removal from the premises and subsequent legal proceedings.
Giving evidence on Thursday morning, Bennett became emotional as he described his own childhood experiences. He stated, 'Growing up as a child I was exposed to a lot of sexual activity on myself, and throughout those years I would sometimes ask the person doing it, is this sex? He would say no, and it sort of just became, I guess, normalised through that.'
Denial of Sexual Attraction
While Bennett accepted that the contact between him and the toddlers was sexual in nature, he firmly denied having any sexual attraction to the children. He explained, 'As I stated I think already, it was emulating what I had experienced as a child - presuming it was to make them happy and feel better.'
During cross-examination, prosecutor Virginia Cornwall challenged Bennett's responses, suggesting he was pretending not to understand questions to gain sympathy from the jury. Ms Cornwall asserted, 'You're pretending that you don't really understand to get some sort of sympathy from the jury, that's what I'm suggesting.'
Background and Employment
Bennett, who had previous experience working in other childcare settings, was asked why he enjoyed working at the nursery. He claimed, 'I found it easy to talk to and be around children as well as some of the staff.' He told jurors he 'enjoyed the energy' from both staff and children, describing the environment as 'upbeat' and 'friendly.'
The former nursery worker also revealed that he had considered resigning due to feeling 'overworked' but decided against it. He shared, 'My mum, who I have a chequered past with, for the first time said she was proud of me because I was working and she loved me for it.'
Prosecution's Opening Statement
Opening the case on Monday, prosecutor Virginia Cornwall described the abuse as 'every parent's worst nightmare.' She added that Bennett, who began working at the nursery in July 2024, had 'admitted sexual interest in pre-school boys' through his guilty pleas.
Nursery manager Victoria Tutton testified that Bennett would 'favour' certain children, preferring to read them stories or sit with them. She also told the court that she witnessed Bennett on CCTV putting his hand down the trousers of a child, which led to his immediate dismissal from the premises.
Risk Assessment and Behaviour
The prosecutor noted that Bennett 'presented as suitable' and had experience in other pre-school settings. She warned the jury, 'The evidence that you are going to be viewing via CCTV will show that he is many things, including a risk taker. He took opportunities that he either engineered or were presented to him within the nursery setting to abuse.'
Ms Cornwall elaborated on the vulnerability of the victims, stating, 'You may think, with children as young as two or three, who are understandably trusting of an adult who they have a familiarity with. As you will see from the footage, he actively encourages that familiarity. He's tactile, he's attentive, you will see that there's hair ruffling, there's touching, there's closeness, the sorts of things that little children perhaps respond to - making them feel special and safe with him.'
She emphasised the children's inability to comprehend the abuse, adding, 'They were not to understand what his interest was in them, or why he was doing what he was doing. A child of that age simply would not comprehend would they that it was sexual or necessarily wrong.'
Charges and Legal Proceedings
Bennett denies two charges of raping a child under 13, four charges of the sexual assault of a child under 13, two charges of assault of a child under 13 by penetration, and three charges of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child. He has previously pleaded guilty to 13 other charges, which include eight charges of sexual assault of a child under 13, four charges of causing a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity, and one charge of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child.
The trial continues at Bristol Crown Court, with further evidence expected to be presented in the coming days. The case has highlighted critical issues surrounding child protection and the psychological profiles of individuals working in sensitive childcare roles.
