Statement from families impacted by Nathan Bennett abuse at Bristol nursery

A jury found Bennett guilty of eight charges, including rape, sexual assault and assault by penetration relating to five children aged two or three, while working at Partou King Street nursery in Bristol. 

Bennett, 30, of Corston near Bath, Somerset, had previously pleaded guilty to 13 other charges involving four of the five children. He was convicted today (Monday 9 February 2026), after a week-long trial at Bristol Crown Court. 

Bennett had been arrested by detectives after the manager of the nursery reviewed CCTV footage in February last year. 

Specialist abuse lawyers in Leigh Day’s human rights team currently represent a wider group of families impacted by the actions of Nathan Bennett. 

Following the trial, the families issued a statement through their lawyers, Leigh Day partner Andrew Lord and associate Zayna Mahmood. 

They said: 

“We are devastated by the horrific abuse children have suffered at the hands of someone whom we all trusted to care for them. Nothing can begin to explain the shock, anger and heartbreak we feel – or the profound and lasting impact we are sure this will have on families.  

“Thankfully, these crimes have been brought to light and Bennett has been held accountable for the horrendous breach of the trust placed in him by parents and carers. The children were innocent and completely vulnerable; they were in a place that should have been safe.  

“We 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. There are deep concerns among families that management and supervision did not protect children, and that this allowed the abuse to continue.  

“We hope that, as well as securing justice through the criminal process, the wider issues around safeguarding and protection at the nursery will be properly reviewed so that nothing like this can ever happen again. The children deserve that, and so do all families who entrust their children to nurseries every day.” 

Andrew Lord said:  

“This is an utterly shocking case. The seriousness of these offences against very young, defenceless children cannot be overstated.  

“As lawyers specialising in abuse claims, we have significant experience supporting families through the aftermath of child sexual abuse. Even so, the concerns raised by the families in this matter about the Partou’s safeguarding practices are profound. They feel that the systems that should have been in place to protect their children simply did not work. That has left them with fundamental questions about how this individual was employed, supervised, and allowed to be in positions of unsupervised care.  

“We will continue to support and represent families affected, and we stand ready to work with all relevant bodies to improve safeguarding practices and accountability.”  

Parents and families of children who suffered abuse or believe they have information about allegations relating to Bennett can confidentially contact Andrew Lord at ALord@leighday.co.uk, or Zayna Mahmood at ZMahmood@leighday.co.uk