{"id":6337,"date":"2026-06-22T11:26:14","date_gmt":"2026-06-22T11:26:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/nursery-paedophile-nathan-bennett-could-have-been-stopped-sooner-after-concerns-were-ignored\/"},"modified":"2026-06-22T11:26:14","modified_gmt":"2026-06-22T11:26:14","slug":"nursery-paedophile-nathan-bennett-could-have-been-stopped-sooner-after-concerns-were-ignored","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/nursery-paedophile-nathan-bennett-could-have-been-stopped-sooner-after-concerns-were-ignored\/","title":{"rendered":"Nursery paedophile Nathan Bennett &#8216;could have been stopped sooner&#8217; after concerns were &#8216;ignored&#8217;"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"article-body\">\n<h2 class=\"LeadText_lead-text__wd_PA __className_1cf165\" data-testid=\"leadtext\">WARNING: DISTRESSING CONTENT. A former colleague of Nathan Bennett has shared her experiences before his arrest as she claims she repeatedly raised concerns about his interactions with children<\/h2>\n<p><button type=\"button\" class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX ImageEmbed_image-lead__Ti3qQ\" data-testid=\"leadimage\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"37330032\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.5\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Mugshot photo of Nathan Bennett\" loading=\"eager\" sizes=\"(max-width: 508px) 508px, (max-width: 615px) 615px, 1200px\" src=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37330032.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200f\/1_BRITAIN-CRIME-COURT-CHILDREN.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37330032.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s508\/1_BRITAIN-CRIME-COURT-CHILDREN.jpg 508w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37330032.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s615\/1_BRITAIN-CRIME-COURT-CHILDREN.jpg 615w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37330032.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200f\/1_BRITAIN-CRIME-COURT-CHILDREN.jpg 1200w\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"A former colleague has claimed opportunities to protect children from Nathan Bennett were missed \" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">A former colleague has claimed opportunities to protect children from Nathan Bennett were missed <cite aria-label=\"Image: Avon and Somerset Police\/AFP via\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-credit__wlx1W\" data-testid=\"caption-credit\">(Image: Avon and Somerset Police\/AFP via)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">A former colleague of paedophile nursery worker <a target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/news\/uk-news\/breaking-nursery-worker-nathan-bennett-36873638\" rel=\"follow\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"_self\">Nathan Bennett <!-- --><\/a>claimed he could have been stopped sooner after she repeatedly raised concerns about his behaviour around young children but was allegedly told she was \u201cimagining it\u201d.<!-- --><\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/news\/uk-news\/breaking-nursery-worker-nathan-bennett-36873638\" rel=\"follow\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"_self\">Bennett<\/a>, 30, was handed a 30 year sentence in March after raping and sexually assaulting five toddlers in his care, having been convicted in February of eight offences, including rape, sexual assault and assault by penetration, relating to five children aged between two and three at Partou King Street Nursery in Bristol. <!-- -->Former nursery worker Bessie Martin told a <a target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/all-about\/bbc\" rel=\"follow\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"\">BBC<\/a> investigation she became uncomfortable with Bennett\u2019s interactions with children months before his arrest.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">She said he would hold children for lengthy periods and often sat them on his lap out of view of CCTV, claiming she repeatedly raised concerns with management before it emerged he had been abusing children.<\/p>\n<div data-testid=\"image-group\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX false\" data-testid=\"imageembed-37330024\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"37330024\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"image\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.86\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Bessie Martin felt uncomfortable with Bennett's behaviour around children\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"(max-width: 458px) 458px, (max-width: 615px) 615px, 1200px\" src=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37330024.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/1_Nursery-paedophile-Nathan-Bennett-could-have-been-stopped-sooner-after-concerns-were-ignored.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37330024.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s458b\/1_Nursery-paedophile-Nathan-Bennett-could-have-been-stopped-sooner-after-concerns-were-ignored.jpg 458w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37330024.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s615b\/1_Nursery-paedophile-Nathan-Bennett-could-have-been-stopped-sooner-after-concerns-were-ignored.jpg 615w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37330024.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/1_Nursery-paedophile-Nathan-Bennett-could-have-been-stopped-sooner-after-concerns-were-ignored.jpg 1200w\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"Bessie Martin felt uncomfortable with Bennett's behaviour around children\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Bessie Martin felt uncomfortable with Bennett&#8217;s behaviour around children<cite aria-label=\"Image: BBC\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-credit__wlx1W\" data-testid=\"caption-credit\">(Image: BBC)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">\u201cI would see a child try to wriggle away or stand up and walk off, but he\u2019d say, \u2018sit here and we\u2019re going to read a book\u2019,&#8221; she said. <!-- -->Bessie said she was \u201cconstantly complaining\u201d about him for months. However, her fears were dismissed.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">She said: \u201cI was basically told that I was imagining it, and just seeing things you\u2019re probably not seeing. \u2018You\u2019ve kind of put two and two together and it\u2019s not what you think\u2019. <!-- -->At the time, I really kind of felt I was going a bit crazy but if I was listened to and more vigorous checks on CCTV were done, I think it would be very different.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Bessie said: \u201cYou never imagine that you have to deal with the horror stories that you hear about when you do your training.\u201d<\/p>\n<div data-testid=\"image-group\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX false\" data-testid=\"imageembed-37330025\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"37330025\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"image\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.77\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Bessie Martin sits staring out a window holding a mug with her hair in two plaits\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"(max-width: 458px) 458px, (max-width: 615px) 615px, 1200px\" src=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37330025.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/0_Nursery-paedophile-Nathan-Bennett-could-have-been-stopped-sooner-after-concerns-were-ignored.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37330025.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s458b\/0_Nursery-paedophile-Nathan-Bennett-could-have-been-stopped-sooner-after-concerns-were-ignored.jpg 458w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37330025.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s615b\/0_Nursery-paedophile-Nathan-Bennett-could-have-been-stopped-sooner-after-concerns-were-ignored.jpg 615w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37330025.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/0_Nursery-paedophile-Nathan-Bennett-could-have-been-stopped-sooner-after-concerns-were-ignored.jpg 1200w\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"Bessie Martin says she repeatedly raised concerns about Bennett's behaviour \" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Bessie Martin says she repeatedly raised concerns about Bennett&#8217;s behaviour <cite aria-label=\"Image: BBC\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-credit__wlx1W\" data-testid=\"caption-credit\">(Image: BBC)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">It was only after she filed a whistleblowing report to the chain\u2019s senior management that Bennett was suspended. However, he was allowed to return to work shortly afterwards. Two weeks later, a review of CCTV footage showed him putting his hands down a boy\u2019s trousers.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">The nursery suspended Bennett again and informed the council\u2019s Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO). Police were alerted the following day and he was arrested. <!-- -->Prior to his arrest, parents had also reported Bennett\u2019s behaviour to nursery management in the months leading up to his arrest after one mother described him as \u201coverly physical\u201d with children. Some of the concerns were not passed on to the LADO and Ofsted, despite the nursery being legally required to do so, the BBC found.<\/p>\n<div data-testid=\"image-group\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX false\" data-testid=\"imageembed-37330031\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"37330031\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"image\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.78\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Bennett was convicted of eight offences involving five boys aged between two and three\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"(max-width: 458px) 458px, (max-width: 615px) 615px, 1200px\" src=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37330031.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/0_Man-who-sexually-abused-toddlers-at-nursery-says-he-likes-being-around-children.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37330031.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s458b\/0_Man-who-sexually-abused-toddlers-at-nursery-says-he-likes-being-around-children.jpg 458w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37330031.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s615b\/0_Man-who-sexually-abused-toddlers-at-nursery-says-he-likes-being-around-children.jpg 615w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37330031.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/0_Man-who-sexually-abused-toddlers-at-nursery-says-he-likes-being-around-children.jpg 1200w\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"Bennett was convicted of eight offences involving five boys aged between two and three\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Bennett was convicted of eight offences involving five boys aged between two and three<cite aria-label=\"Image: Avon and Somerset Police \/ SWNS\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-credit__wlx1W\" data-testid=\"caption-credit\">(Image: Avon and Somerset Police \/ SWNS)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">As CCTV evidence was limited, many parents were left with uncertainty over whether their children had been abused by Bennett. He often worked alone in the mornings when children arrived, one mother said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Her child also told her Bennett had \u201ctickled\u201d him inappropriately under his clothes. She said: \u201cI\u2019ve got an image of seeing [my son\u2019s] little face at the window, sometimes crying, and Nathan [Bennett] beside him waving.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">During Bennett\u2019s trial, staff described him as \u201cterritorial\u201d over certain toddlers and their parents, while one nursery practitioner, Elizabeth Burton said he appeared to have a \u201cjealous attachment\u201d to five children and would \u201ctake control of them\u201d. <!-- -->It was also said he would sit children on his lap for long periods of time and wore a pair of trousers with holes in the crotch area, the court heard.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Partou said it \u201cactively encourages\u201d staff to report concerns and had implemented recommendations aimed at strengthening safeguarding and oversight across the organisation. The King Street nursery closed last December, but Partou remains one of England\u2019s largest nursery providers and operates more than 100 sites across England.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">The BBC found Partou nurseries were more likely than the national average to receive official notices requiring improvements to safeguarding, safety or welfare following Bennett\u2019s arrest. <!-- -->Partou nurseries were twice as likely to receive a WRN from Ofsted than the average nursery in the four years to March 2025, according to the investigation.<\/p>\n<div data-testid=\"image-group\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX false\" data-testid=\"imageembed-37330028\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"37330028\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"image\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.81\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"The court heard Bennett wore a pair of trousers with holes in the crotch and would sit children on his lap for long periods of time\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"(max-width: 458px) 458px, (max-width: 615px) 615px, 1200px\" src=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37330028.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/1_Screenshot-2026-02-09-at-143455.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37330028.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s458b\/1_Screenshot-2026-02-09-at-143455.jpg 458w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37330028.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s615b\/1_Screenshot-2026-02-09-at-143455.jpg 615w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37330028.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/1_Screenshot-2026-02-09-at-143455.jpg 1200w\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"The court heard Bennett wore a pair of trousers with holes in the crotch and would sit children on his lap for long periods of time\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">The court heard Bennett wore a pair of trousers with holes in the crotch and would sit children on his lap for long periods of time<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">That figure rose to more than seven times the national average in the 12 months following Bennett\u2019s arrest. WRNs can cover a range of issues, including failures to report allegations of abuse, unsafe premises, poor record-keeping and inadequate staff vetting.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Partou told the BBC the figures should be interpreted with caution, arguing that different providers may apply varying standards. It said safeguarding remained its \u201chighest priority\u201d and that it had provided affected families with the \u201cfullest possible support\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">The company added that an independent safeguarding review had identified failings by individuals at the Bristol nursery. Some no longer work for Partou, while others remain subject to ongoing internal procedures. The <a target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\" rel=\"follow\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"\">Mirror<\/a> has contacted Partou for comment.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">In a statement issued on the day of his sentencing by law firm Leigh Day, which represents several of the families involved, they said: \u201cWe want answers. We want to understand how someone like Nathan Bennett was able to work with young children, what checks were made, and how the safeguarding systems in place at Partou King Street nursery failed so catastrophically.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/news\/uk-news\/nathan-bennett-nursery-paedophile-bristol-37330002\" target=\"_blank\">Source link<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>WARNING: DISTRESSING CONTENT. A former colleague of Nathan Bennett has shared her experiences before his<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6338,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6337","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-crime"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1_BRITAIN-CRIME-COURT-CHILDREN.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6337","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6337"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6337\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6338"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6337"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6337"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6337"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}