A HIGH COURT judge has ordered all future court cases involving nursery worker Vanessa George to take place in Bristol.

Mr Justice Royce, the presiding judge for the Western circuit, made the decision this week as he sat at Plymouth Crown Court, it has been revealed.

In addition, he has instructed courts in Manchester and Nottinghamshire that the two other people connected with the investigation centred around Plymouth's Little Ted's nursery – Colin Blanchard and Angela Allen – also have their cases joined with George's and heard at Bristol Crown Court.

George, of Douglass Road, Efford, Plymouth, has yet to enter any pleas on the seven child abuse and child porn charges laid against her last month.

A statement released by Devon and Cornwall said that "due to the nature of the investigation, the case concerning Vanessa George will be handled by the CPS South West Complex Casework Unit in Bristol". The case will next be heard in Bristol on a date to be fixed.

A heavy police presence was needed to handle the large crowd who wanted to attend the court hearing of George at Plymouth Magistrates' Court on June 11.

The 39-year-old mother-of- two was arrested late on June 8.

At her court hearing, she was formally charged with two counts of sexual assault by penetration, two counts of sexual assault by touching, and one count each of making, possessing and distributing indecent images of children.

Last month Colin Blanchard, aged 38, from Littleborough, near Rochdale, Greater Manchester, appeared at Minshull Street Crown Court in Manchester charged with four offences: distributing, making and possessing indecent images of children and the possession of extreme pornographic images. He remains in custody.

Angela Allen, 39, from Bulwell, Nottingham, is on remand after appearing before Nottingham magistrates charged with 16 counts of distributing, possessing and making indecent images of a child.