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NURSERY 'ABUSE'

Teen boy, 17, charged with rape and sexual abuse of at least eight children at a nursery in Devon

A TEENAGER has been charged with rape and a string of sexual offences against at least eight children at a nursery in Devon.

The 17-year-old boy, who can't be named, is accused of sexually touching the kids at Jack and Jill Childcare in Torquay last July.

 A person has been charged with rape in connection with a probe at Jack And Jill Childcare in Devon
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A person has been charged with rape in connection with a probe at Jack And Jill Childcare in DevonCredit: Apex News

He is now due to appear at court charged with one count of rape against a child and 13 counts of sexual touching against eight children.

Police also confirmed he has been charged with two counts of historic rape, but these are not linked to the nursery.

The privately-run childcare nursery took children from birth to five years and ran for 51 weeks of the year until it was closed down in the wake of a police investigation.

A probe was launched last summer after an allegation of sexual abuse was made.

There was a multi-agency response involving Police, Local Authority, NHS Devon Clinical Commissioning Group and Ofsted, in the investigation.

Letters were sent to the parents of 52 pupils at the nursery - with specialist officers visiting mums and dads of those believed to be victims.

John Nelson ran the nursery with wife Pam and daughter Lindsay. None of them are understood to be involved in the allegations.

Devon and Cornwall Police today confirmed the teen will appear at an unspecified youth court in due course.

They added: "A 17-year-old boy has today [22 April] been charged in connection with allegations of sexual offences at Jack and Jill Childcare in Torquay during July 2019.

"Any suspect under the age of 18 is by law not allowed to be identified.

"We therefore remind the public that it is vital that they do not speculate on the identity of either the victim or the suspect in this case."

 Jack and Jill nursery in Torquay
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Jack and Jill nursery in TorquayCredit: Apex News
 It is run by John Nelson with his wife Pam and daughter Lindsay (pictured)
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It is run by John Nelson with his wife Pam and daughter Lindsay (pictured)