A nursery worker has been jailed for a series of sexual offences against two three-year-olds at a childcare setting that cannot be named for legal reasons.

Thomas Waller, 18, was convicted of rape, two counts of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and one count of taking indecent images following a trial at Staines Magistrates Court in July. Waller, from Surrey, committed the offences during the summer of 2024 when he was 17.

Concerns were first raised by parents of one victim after their child disclosed a serious assault. Staff at the setting contacted police, and Waller was arrested. During the investigation, officers found indecent images of a second victim on his mobile phone, prompting a further inquiry.

On Friday, November 14, Waller was jailed for 10 years for rape, with an additional five years on licence. He was also given a four-year sentence for inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and a one-year sentence for taking indecent images. Those terms will run concurrently.

In statements to the court, the children’s parents described the impact of Waller’s offending. The parents of one said: “This was not an accident. It was not a poor decision on the spur of the moment, it was premeditated and calculated.

“This man continually gave no comment. This man chose to deny everything. He has had every opportunity to plead guilty and express remorse, and he has chosen not to. He has demonstrated no accountability for his actions.

“We do not know yet what the long-term impact on our son will be. I am hopeful that with our support he will understand that he did nothing wrong and that he has nothing to be ashamed of.

“We won’t know what he will think when he hears the name ‘Tom’ – as his parent, I always slightly hesitate and feel uncomfortable when I read that name out in a storybook, hear it on TV, or greet another kid’s parent with the same name.

“The day after his appearance in court our son asked us if he was bad because of what Tom had done to him. He doesn’t understand how he was manipulated and how both his trust as well as his body was abused.”

The parents of the second child said: “I’ll never forget the ache in my heart when I understood what our child had gone through.

“The worst part of this journey has been the feeling of complete helplessness. I couldn’t protect our child when they needed us most. And I can’t undo the damage that has been done to them.

“Knowing that our child’s image was taken and shared without consent, shared with strangers, is something I cannot stop thinking about.

“This whole experience has impacted every aspect of our lives. It has stolen our peace, our sense of security, and our ability to sleep soundly at night.

“We are constantly on edge, wondering how this will affect our child in the future, and we feel the weight of their burden every single day.”

Detective Constable Grace Cable, the investigating officer, said: “This deeply distressing case is every parent’s worst nightmare, and I would like pay tribute to the resilience of the victims and their families throughout this whole process. Their support and strength enabled us to secure this conviction and put a dangerous young man behind bars.

“Thomas Waller had multiple opportunities to show remorse or account for his actions, both during the police investigation and the court process, but has chosen to remain silent.

“I hope his prison sentence helps the families affected by his crimes to start to move forward with their lives.

“For any parent or guardian who wants to know how best to protect their child, my advice is that no one knows your child better than you.

“Always listen to what they have to say, and if you have concerns for their safety or welfare then please report them. Surrey Police take any allegation of sexual assault incredibly seriously and will do all we can to investigate and to deliver justice for victim-survivors and their loved ones.”

If you or someone you know has been the victim of rape, sexual assault or another sexual offence, support is available at the Surrey Police website.