Nursery cruelty charges dropped

Nursery cruelty charges dropped

Two nursery workers accused of dipping a toddler's dummy in an anti-nailbiting solution have had charges of child cruelty against them dropped.

Sara Brown and Nicola Mason, both 20, were said to have carried out the offence while employed at a nursery based at the Inland Revenue's head offices in Nottingham.

Ms Mason faced a second charge of putting the same solution on the fingers of an 18-month-old boy.

Ms Brown, of St Ann's, Nottingham, and Ms Mason, of Thrumpton, Nottinghamshire, denied the offences and walked free from Nottingham Crown Court after Judge Richard Pollard formally entered not guilty verdicts.

'Insufficient evidence'

Peter Walmsley, QC, prosecuting, said the Crown had decided not to proceed with the case due to "insufficient evidence."

The pair were arrested after a six-week police investigation which began last October following complaints from parents with children at the nursery, including senior Inland Revenue managers.

Kinderquest, the company which runs the nursery, suspended the pair following the allegations.

Both children were taken to hospital but were given the all-clear by doctors.

Ms Brown and Ms Mason refused to comment but confirmed neither now worked at the nursery.