A parent of one of the victims spoke of the "trauma" their family were put through
Thomas Waller, 18, took advantage of his position to abuse two boys in his care after gaining their trust, a court heard.
The teenager was working at a nursery in Surrey, which can't be named for legal reasons, in summer 2024 and was responsible for taking the children to the toilet and change them.
After a trial at Staines Youth Court, Waller was found guilty of rape, two counts of causing or inciting sexual activity and taking indecent photos.
At Guildford Crown Court on Friday, he was jailed for 15 years at a young offender's institution, of which he must serve ten in detention and five on licence.
Waller sat in the dock wearing a white polo shirt and black coat, and did not react when he found out his sentence.
The court heard the teenager had completed a work placement at a different nursery between December 2023 and June 2024 after getting qualifications from a college, before being put in touch with the nursery where his offending took place and started there in July 2024.
Prosecutor Rio Pahlavanpour said a nursery staff member told police Waller had been alone in the toilets with one of the boys, known as Child D, in August, after lunch.
Officers found his DNA on the child’s underwear, the court heard.
When Waller was arrested, his phone was seized, police found indecent images of another boy, known as Child T, the prosecutor said.
Judge Harden-Frost said Waller used his position at the nursery to sexually abuse the boys "within days of being able to supervise children going to the bathroom."
In a victim impact statement, Child D’' father said his son had "gathered a collection of memories that I would never wish on a human being."
Speaking about his son's new school he said: "We should be telling them that he doesn’t like carrots, not that he has been raped."
He described Waller as "cold, sinister and calculated," adding "Tom cannot be allowed to do this again."
Child D’s mother said: "When my son told me what had happened I could not believe what I was hearing.
"He did not know that what had happened to him was wrong. This man took advantage of that beautiful innocence."
She said Waller had used his "skills to build trust with my son and then exploit him."
She added: "This man has subjected my son and my family to additional trauma.
The mother of Child T described feeling guilty about sending her son to the nursery and said she sometimes cried herself to sleep at night.
She added: "I fear that one day (Child T’s) memories of what happened might return again. It could have an impact for the rest of his life."
In a statement, the nursery said: "We were, and remain, deeply shocked, saddened and sorry to learn of the actions of a former member of our staff.
"The safety and wellbeing of the children in our care is, and always will be, our highest priority.
"As soon as concerns were raised, we took immediate action, contacting the police without delay, suspending the individual concerned, and fully co-operating with the investigation.
"Since then we have carried out a full review and further strengthened our already robust safeguarding policies and staff training.“We continue to work closely with the local authority and safeguarding professionals to ensure we uphold the very highest standards of care and protection for every child entrusted to us."
In mitigation, Aphra Bruce-Jones said Waller does not accept that he abused the children, but does accept that he has now been found guilty.
Ms Bruce-Jones said his offending was a result of "opportunism rather than deliberate isolation" of his victims.
Jonathan Hulley, Surrey County Council cabinet member for children, families and lifelong learning, said: "I am appalled by the crimes committed by Thomas Waller and extend my deepest sympathies to the children and families affected.
"As the local authority, we were informed by partners when these disclosures were first made about an individual working in a private nursery in Surrey.
"We immediately undertook our duties to support the actions of safeguarding partners, and of Ofsted as the regulatory body for early years settings.
"Our role has included co-ordinating information-sharing and actions between relevant bodies, as well as supporting the setting to implement actions identified for them by Ofsted.
"The wellbeing and safeguarding of children and young people is our absolute priority."
Rebecca Millardship, from the Crown Prosecution Service, said: "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."
