Teenage nursery worker detained for raping three-year-old boy
A nursery worker who raped a three-year-old boy in his care has been detained for 10 years and must serve an additional five years on licence.
Thomas Waller, 18, started work at the nursery in Surrey in July 2024, having just completed qualifications. Within weeks, he had raped one boy and persuaded another three-year-old boy to engage in sexual activity while taking them to the toilet and supervising them.
The two boys both said things to their parents that enabled them to work out what had happened to their children. DNA from Waller was found on the underwear of one of the boys.
Rebecca Millardship from the Crown Prosecution Service said: “This case is one of the worst nightmares imaginable for a parent. They entrusted the care of their young children to Waller, who abused that trust in the most appalling way within weeks of starting his job at the nursery.
“He carefully planned his attacks on these three-year-old boys, deliberately isolating them from anyone else. It was our case that he focused on qualifications that would allow him to work at a nursery because he had a sexual interest in young children.
“We hope that today’s sentence brings some closure for the young victims in this case and their parents, who have all been through the most horrific ordeal. None of us can begin to imagine the impact that Waller has had on these young children through his appalling crimes.”
Notes to editors
- Following a trial at Staines Youth Court, Thomas Waller [24/04/2007] was found guilty of one charge of raping a child under the age of 13, two charges of causing a boy under 13 to engage in sexual activity and one charge of making an indecent photo of a child.
- He was sentenced to 10 years in detention with an additional five years on licence. He also received an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order and must remain on the sex offenders register for life.
- The case was transferred to Guildford Crown Court because of the seriousness of the offences and the limited sentencing powers at the Magistrates’ Court.
- Rebecca Millardship is a Senior Crown Prosecutor in the CPS South East Rape and Serious Sexual Offences team (RASSO), which is staffed by specially trained lawyers and paralegal officers. They also handle child sexual abuse cases, including non-recent cases, and all other serious sexual offences.