A 22-year-old nursery worker has been sentenced to eight years in prison for a “sadistic” and “relentless” campaign of abuse against 21 vulnerable babies and young children in London.
Roksana Lecka, from Hounslow, west London, committed a series of “gratuitous acts of violence” against infants between October 2023 and June 2024 while working at two nurseries. Her harrowing crimes were uncovered through extensive CCTV footage reviewed by Metropolitan Police detectives, which captured her inflicting pain and distress on children too young to articulate their suffering.
A Campaign of Cruelty Revealed
Lecka admitted to seven counts of cruelty to a person under the age of 16 and was convicted by a jury at Kingston Crown Court of an additional 14 counts. The abuse, described by a judge as “exceptional cruelty,” included pinching children dozens of times a day, scratching them under their clothes, and pushing babies headfirst into cots. On one particularly disturbing occasion, Lecka repeatedly kicked a young boy in the face and stepped on his shoulder.
CCTV footage played in court showed Lecka aggressively covering a toddler’s mouth as they cried, shoving children, and pulling their ears and hair. She was also observed vaping within metres of a baby and admitted to police that she had smoked cannabis before her shifts, an action she did not disclose to her employer.
Discovery and Investigation
The abuse came to light in June 2024 after Lecka was sent home from Riverside Nursery in Twickenham, southwest London, for pinching several children and appearing “flustered”. Parents had previously reported unusual injuries and bruising on their children in March and May of that year. Detectives painstakingly reviewed over 300 hours of CCTV footage within 10 days, revealing the shocking scale of Lecka’s actions. Her crimes spanned two nurseries: the now-closed Riverside Nursery in Twickenham and Little Munchkins in Hounslow.
Detective Inspector Sian Hutchings of the Met Police described the investigation as complex and emotional, highlighting that the youngest victims were just 10 months old. She noted Lecka’s “lack of accountability and her inability to explain her unjustifiable actions” as particularly shocking.
Devastation for Families
The sentencing hearing at Kingston Crown Court was marked by harrowing victim impact statements from the parents. Many described their devastation, guilt, and profound loss of trust, branding Lecka the “worst kind of human” for preying on defenseless infants.
One father recounted his wife’s fear that if Lecka had not been caught, she “could have gone on to seriously injure or even kill.” Parents spoke of the trauma of watching the CCTV footage for the first time and the lasting effects on their children, including sleeping issues and separation anxiety. Some families have been forced to move away from London altogether due to the distress caused.
Sentencing and Broader Implications
Judge Sarah Plaschkes KC told Lecka that her conduct could “properly be characterised as sadistic” and that she committed “multiple acts of gratuitous violence.” Lecka was sentenced to eight years in prison and permanently barred from working with children. Her actions have raised serious questions about safeguarding procedures within childcare settings in London.
While Lecka has reportedly faced challenges in prison, including being attacked, the focus for many parents remains on seeking further answers and supporting their children through the trauma. The news serves as a stark reminder of the critical importance of vigilance and robust safeguarding measures in nurseries across the United Kingdom. This news has been widely reported as a significant incident impacting popular London news coverage.
