A court heard that Bennett had a "jealous attachment" with five children and would "take control of them"
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A nursery worker is facing a lengthy jail sentence after admitting multiple sexual offences against children in his care.
Nathan Bennett's crimes were exposed after worried parents and other staff raised their concerns over his behaviour.
In a subsequent investigation, the manager at Partou King Street's nursery viewed CCTV footage last February, which showed Bennett putting his hands down the trousers of a child.
He was immediately sent home and was later arrested by police. The 30-year-old was found guilty on Monday of eight charges including rape, sexual assault and assault by penetration, relating to five children aged two or three at the nursery in Bristol.
Police body-worn footage of Bennett's arrest shows Bennett being handcuffed inside a house. When asked if he understands why he is being detained, he simply replies: "Yes."
He previously admitted 13 other charges relating to four of the five victims, who were aged two at the time.
Families of the victims have now demanded "answers" into what checks were made to deem Bennett as fit to work with children.
Prosecutor Virginia Cornwall described the case as "every parent’s nightmare" during the beginning of the trial at Bristol Crown Court.
Bennett, of Corston, near Bath, began working at the nursery in July 2024 and told staff he was autistic, though jurors heard he has never been formally diagnosed.
He was noted by staff to sit children on his lap for lengthy periods of time, wear a pair of trousers with holes in the crotch area, and seemed "territorial" over certain toddlers and their parents, the court heard.
Nursery practitioner Elizabeth Burton told the court that Bennett had a "jealous attachment" with five children and would "take control of them."
Child E’s mother also gave evidence, telling how her son had demonstrated how he had been abused at his nursery.
"I got him to stop doing it. I asked him when did that happen. He said it happened at nursery,' she said.
Giving evidence, Bennett said he was "emulating" what was done to him as a child and denied having a sexual attraction to children.
After the verdicts, a statement issued on behalf of several of the families involved, said: "We are devastated by the horrific abuse children have suffered at the hands of someone whom we all trusted to care for them.
"Nothing can begin to explain the shock, anger and heartbreak we feel – or the profound and lasting impact we are sure this will have on families.
"The children were innocent and completely vulnerable; they were in a place that should have been safe.
"We want answers. We want to understand how someone like Nathan Bennett was able to work with young children, what checks were made, and how the safeguarding systems in place at Partou King Street nursery failed so catastrophically.
"We hope that, as well as securing justice through the criminal process, the wider issues around safeguarding and protection at the nursery will be properly reviewed so that nothing like this can ever happen again."
Leigh Day partner Andrew Lord, who represents a wider group of families affected by Bennett’s abuse, said: "This is an utterly shocking case.
"The seriousness of these offences against very young, defenceless children cannot be overstated.
"As lawyers specialising in abuse claims, we have significant experience supporting families through the aftermath of child sexual abuse.
"Even so, the concerns raised by the families in this matter about the Partou’s safeguarding practices are profound.
"They feel that the systems that should have been in place to protect their children simply did not work."
Temporary Detective Inspector Lucy Ford, from Avon and Somerset Police, added: "Nathan Bennett was trusted to care for children but committed sexual offences against the very young children at his place of work.
"An investigation involving such young children was deeply challenging and distressing for all concerned."
A spokesperson for the nursery said: "We have been shocked and distressed by the upsetting details that have emerged over the past several days about Nathan Bennett’s appalling crimes, for which he has now been found guilty on all counts and will face justice.
"Our primary concern from the moment we became aware of the offences has been for the children involved and their families.
"They have been provided with independent, specialist support, and this support is ongoing. Meanwhile we have provided every assistance and cooperation to the investigating authorities in the conduct of their important work.
"We have robust safeguarding policies and practices in place at Partou, which have been followed throughout. In response to the incident, we commissioned an independent review to identify any vulnerabilities and we have further strengthened our approach to safeguarding all children in our care in line with the recommendations made.
"We will be engaging with the sector and government to pursue co-ordinated initiatives to ensure that children in all nursery settings are safe."