A former nursery worker from north London has pleaded guilty to 30 additional sexual offences as part of what the Metropolitan Police has described as one of its most complex child sexual abuse investigations.
Vincent Chan, 45, of Stanhope Avenue, Finchley, appeared at Highbury Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, 29 January for his first appearance on the new charges. He admitted 12 counts of taking and making 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. According to the Met, some victims remain unidentified despite officers working sensitively to trace them given the complex nature and scale of Chan’s criminality.
On 3 December 2025, Chan had already 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 led the investigation, said: “Vincent Chan is a dangerous and predatory individual, and the scale of his abhorrent offending is shocking.”
He added: “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.”
The investigation began following Chan’s arrest on 11 June 2024. Officers seized his devices, which uncovered hundreds of pictures and videos showing child sexual offences. In total, 69 devices were retrieved and analysed as part of the inquiry, containing a significant amount of material.
Before his employment at a nursery in West Hampstead, Chan had worked in another educational setting in north London from 2007 until 2017. The investigation revealed that while working there, he had covertly filmed on the estate, using cameras to capture upskirting images of children. Chan had also filmed himself participating in sexual acts while alone at the location.
Footage recovered by officers showed that Chan had placed covert cameras around his own home. According to detectives, 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 on Thursday, 29 January. He remains in custody.
Detective Superintendent Basford thanked the community for its continued cooperation and said: “We are working closely with the NSPCC to ensure every family affected receives the help they need.”
Anyone with concerns can contact the dedicated NSPCC helpline on 0800 028 0828 for specialist support. Those wishing to speak to Met detectives or make a report relating to Chan can contact police via OpLanark@met.police.uk or by calling 101 quoting CAD3697/1DEC.
Childline, run by the NSPCC as a service for children and young people, can be contacted 24/7 on 0800 1111.
