A classroom assistant at a primary school in Helmond in Noord Brabant is suspected of sexually abusing 20 children under the age of 12, the public prosecution department said on Tuesday.

The man, aged 25, was arrested in September and has “largely confessed” to his crimes, the prosecutor said. The abuse, at both the school and private homes where he worked as a babysitter, is said to have happened from 2018 onwards.

Images of the abuse were found on the man’s phone and he is also facing charges of making and owning child pornography. There is no evidence he shared the images, the department said.

The man will appear in court for a pro-forma sitting on Wednesday, ahead of the main trial which will take place at a later date.