A man working at a nursery is facing allegations of sexually abusing five toddlers. The accused claimed that he only put his hand inside a child’s trousers to check a diaper. Nathan Bennett, 30, was taken into custody by police after his supervisor at the nursery witnessed the concerning incident on surveillance footage.
Following the incident, Bennett was promptly sent home, and his supervisor reported the matter to the authorities. According to testimony at Bristol Crown Court, the CCTV footage displayed Bennett with his hand inside the clothing of Child A for approximately 25 seconds. In a subsequent interview with detectives, Bennett explained that he placed the child on his lap to console him after waking up upset from a nap. He stated that he inserted his hand inside the child’s trousers to inspect his pull-up diaper upon the child’s complaint of discomfort.
Bennett has pleaded not guilty to 11 charges linked to the nursery where he was employed, including accusations of rape, sexual assault, and assault by penetration. However, he has admitted guilt to 13 other charges involving five children aged two or three, as disclosed in Bristol Crown Court.
When questioned about his actions, Bennett clarified that he believed he needed to physically check the diaper as he could not do so from the outside. He denied any intentional contact with the child’s genitals and attributed any inadvertent touch to the child’s positioning. The jury was informed that Bennett’s hand remained inside the child’s trousers for about 25 seconds.
In response to inquiries regarding the prolonged duration of his hand inside the child’s clothing, Bennett acknowledged that his actions were inappropriate and explained that he was attempting to create more space for comfort. He adamantly denied any sexual interest in children and refuted suggestions that he pursued a career in childcare for illicit purposes.
The trial proceedings revealed that the nursery ceased operations following the launch of a police inquiry. The case is ongoing as the trial continues.
