Vanessa George: Nursery abuser released from prison

Image copyright Devon and Cornwall Police

Paedophile nursery worker Vanessa George has been released from prison, sources have confirmed.

The 49-year-old was jailed for a minimum of seven years in 2009 for abusing children at a Plymouth nursery.

One parent, “Simon”, told the BBC’s Victoria Derbyshire programme he was “disgusted” at learning of her release.

The Parole Board found George no longer posed “a significant risk” but would face strict conditions upon her release.

These include a ban on returning to Devon and Cornwall and restrictions on her movements and contacts.

‘Tormented’

George took photographs of herself abusing children in her care and swapped indecent images over the internet.

Simon – whose name has been changed – fears his child, who attended the Little Ted’s nursery, was one of those sexually assaulted.

Speaking about George’s release, he said: “I knew this was coming.

“But to find out on the day it’s already happened has made it worse. Again there’s no consideration for the victims.”

Simon has previously said he is “tormented” by George’s refusal to name the infants she abused.

In July, the Parole Board said George would never be allowed to work with children would be placed on the sex offenders register for the rest of her life.

Her release has been described as “sickening” by Luke Pollard, Labour MP for Plymouth Sutton and Devonport.

He said: “She should not be released at all. She still refuses to name the babies and toddlers that she abused and the sheer level of anger and disgust that families here in Plymouth feel about this cannot be underestimated.

“I don’t think you can show genuine remorse for a crime like this when you are refusing to name the children that you, she abused.

“And I also think the whole system around parole here isn’t valuing the voice of victims well enough.”

Johnny Mercer, Conservative MP for Plymouth Moor View, said he had asked the government to include perpetrators who refuse to name their victims in a forthcoming sentencing review.

George pleaded guilty in 2009 to seven sexual assaults on children and making 124 indecent images of children.