Nursery bosses to meet police over jailed worker

Nursery bosses are set to meet with police, Ofsted and council safeguarding staff after it emerged a man jailed for possessing more than 5,000 indecent images was able to continue working with children despite being arrested.

Kristian Parry, 26, was jailed for two years after admitting the offence as well as falsifying references to obtain a job at a nursery in Leeds.

Following BBC coverage of the case, it emerged Parry had gone on to secure work at another nursery in the city two months after his arrest.

Confirming Friday's meeting, West Yorkshire Police said it was investigating a further possible offence of fraud by false representation as a result of the new information.

Parry is known to have worked at three nurseries in Leeds in total, though police have said "no evidence was found to suggest that Parry had taken any images himself or that any of the images had been taken within a nursery setting".

Meanwhile, two of the nurseries involved have contacted parents to reassure them that Parry would not have been left alone with any of the children.

In correspondence seen by the BBC, the nursery where Parry worked after his arrest makes it clear that an enhanced DBS check was carried out but came back clear.

It was stated in court that Parry had been dismissed from the first nursery he had worked at for alcohol abuse, but used false email addresses to fake references to get a job at a second nursery.

It was there that he was arrested in May last year, after police suspected he had shared images online.

After worried parents contacted the BBC via the Your Voice service on Wednesday, it became apparent he had gone on to gain employment at a third nursery in July 2025 - while on police bail.

It is understood he left that nursery after a few months, before being charged in December and later admitting fraud, making indecent images and possessing a prohibited image of a child.

One father of a child who attends the nursery where Parry was employed after his arrest said the system had let families down.

He said: "Somebody has to be answerable, and I don't think it is the nursery - it is the whole system.

"He has been able to do this, he has been able to walk this earth and get a job. Why was he not watched until he was convicted?"

People working with children typically require an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check with a Children's Barred List check.

This is the highest level of scrutiny, necessary for unsupervised work with children and reveals criminal records, police intelligence and whether you are banned from working with children.

The nurseries involved confirmed they had run DBS checks on Parry - but the BBC understands these could have been via its "update service".

A spokesperson for the DBS said: "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.

"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."

Richard Burgon, MP for Leeds East, said the case was "deeply disturbing".

"Parents are right to expect the highest standards of safeguarding and to be properly informed of such a serious breach," he said.

"Urgent answers are needed on how this was allowed to happen, and firm guarantees given that protections are in place so it cannot happen again."

A Department for Education Spokesperson said: "These crimes are absolutely sickening, and our thoughts remain with the families affected.

"The safety of our youngest children is our utmost priority and we continually monitor and review safeguarding requirements for early years settings to make sure children are kept as safe as possible."

They added Early Years Foundation Stage safeguarding requirements had been updated in September and the department was working with the NSPCC to ensure "high standards" across the sector.

Leeds City Council and Leeds Children's Safeguarding Partnership have been contacted for comment.

West Yorkshire Police has urged anyone with information that could assist their investigation to come forward.

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