Anger as nursery worker faces court

Vanessa George, who worked at the Little Ted's nursery in Plymouth, was remanded in custody amid angry scenes at the city's magistrates' court.

George, 39, of Douglass Road, Plymouth, faces three counts of sexually assaulting a girl under 13 and one count of sexually assaulting a boy under 13.

She also faces three separate counts of making, possessing and distributing indecent images of children.

The court heard the charges range from January 2007 to this month.

George, wearing a white T-shirt and black trousers, spoke only to confirm her name and address. She entered no pleas, no application for bail was made and she will now appear at Plymouth Crown Court on September 21.

She was jeered and hissed by people in the public gallery as she emerged into the court. Parents cried and yelled when the charges were read out and one man ran from the court in tears.

As she was led away, a man in a red T-shirt leapt from the public gallery and spat at George.

Outside court there were more angry scenes as people shouted at the police van carrying George away. Two men, one wearing a suit and the other wearing a red T-shirt, were taken away by police after blocking the path of the van.

A group of parents who have children at the nursery, some in tears, stood together outside the rear of the court after the hearing.