'Extremely troubling': Parents 'left in the dark' as paedophile fraudulently lands Leeds nursery job
Parents say they have been ‘left in the dark’ after a paedophile who had used false references to land a job at a Leeds nursery was locked up this week.
Kristian Parry was jailed at Leeds Crown Court after he admitted fraud by false representation and four counts of possessing indecent and prohibited images.
Leeds Crown Court heard he was sacked from one nursery for drinking, then created false references to land a job at another. He was later found to have thousands of child-abuse images downloaded.
The court heard there was no evidence to suggest that any children at the nursery were victims of abuse.
However, parents of youngsters from the second nursery in Leeds claim they only found out about the 26-year-old’s crimes until after he was sentenced and the case publicised.
One said they had been “left in the dark” from the nursery.
Another father said: “I do have real sympathy for a lot of the staff at the nursery, they have been put in an impossible position.”
But he pointed out there had been a lack of “human communication” since the court case was publicised and that only a written statement was issued to parents from the nursery.
The nursery, which the Yorkshire Evening Post is yet to name, has so far refused to make a public comment when contacted by this newspaper.
Meanwhile, West Yorkshire Police have said they are now investigating allegations that Parry had been able to land a job at a third nursery after being arrested but before he was jailed.
In a letter from that nursery to parents, seen by the YEP, they apologised for the lack of overall communication.
The concerned father added: “The thing that most parents have the same concern about, and I have spoken to a lot of them, is that the police did not speak to a single parent.
“They should have done, as a reassurance more than anything. It’s absolutely shocking.”
Parry, of Sissons Terrace, Middleton, was jailed for two years after pleading guilty to possessing more than 5,000 indecent images of children.
After his initial arrest, he was re-arrested when it was then found he had falsified his references, later admitting a charge of fraud.
Richard Burgon, MP for Leeds East, said: "Like all local people, I am deeply alarmed by this.
“Families have a right not only to the highest standards of safeguarding but also to be informed quickly when serious concerns arise.
"It is extremely troubling that this was able to happen across multiple settings, and urgent answers are needed as to how this was possible and where systems fell short.
"Most importantly, clear assurances are needed that any gaps in the system will be identified and closed to ensure this cannot happen again."
The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS), a public body that helps employers make safer recruitment decisions, said: “A DBS check is just part of a safer, comprehensive recruitment process, providing a snapshot of an applicant's criminal record to help employers assess suitability, particularly for roles involving vulnerable groups.
“It is not a standalone guarantee of safety and should be used alongside interviews, reference checks, and verification of qualifications and identification.
“When individuals are subscribed to the Update Service, employers are able to carry out free status checks online.
“Once subscribed, an employer can check whether a certificate is still current or whether new information has come to light since it was issued.
“DBS will search regularly to see if any new information has come to light since the certificate was issued.
“The frequency of these searches varies depending on the level and type of DBS certificate.
“For criminal conviction and barring information, DBS will search for updates on a weekly basis. For non-conviction information, DBS will search for updates every nine months.”
Leeds City Council has also been contacted for comment.