A 22-year-old nursery worker has been sentenced to eight years in prison for a shocking campaign of “sadistic” abuse against 21 infants in her care across two London nurseries. Roksana Lecka inflicted a series of physical and psychological torments on the vulnerable babies between October 2023 and June 2024, leaving parents heartbroken and questioning their trust in childcare providers.
A Pattern of ‘Gratuitous Violence’
During a harrowing trial at Kingston Crown Court, Roksana Lecka was found guilty of 14 counts of cruelty to a person under 16, having previously admitted to seven similar charges. The court heard detailed accounts of her relentless abuse, which included pinching and scratching children under their clothes, sometimes dozens of times a day, causing them to cry and flinch away. CCTV footage, meticulously reviewed by Metropolitan Police detectives, captured Lecka kicking a young boy in the face multiple times, pushing babies headfirst into cots, and aggressively covering toddlers’ mouths when they began to cry. Other disturbing acts included pulling children’s ears, hair, and toes, and even vaping near infants.
The judge, Sarah Plaschkes KC, described Lecka’s actions as “multiple acts of gratuitous violence” and stated that her criminal conduct could properly be characterised as “sadistic.” The abuse occurred at two nurseries: Riverside Nursery in Twickenham, which has since closed, and Little Munchkins in Hounslow, with the majority of the charges linked to the former. The youngest victim was as young as 10 months old at the time.
Discovery and Investigation
The disturbing abuse was brought to light in June 2024 when a colleague at Riverside Nursery raised concerns about Lecka’s behaviour, noting she appeared “flustered” and had been pinching children. This prompted a swift investigation by the Metropolitan Police, who reviewed over 300 hours of CCTV footage within 10 days. The extensive evidence captured Lecka’s systematic mistreatment of the infants. Alongside CCTV, detectives took statements from parents, some of whom had already reported unusual injuries and bruising on their children in March and May of that year.
Detective Inspector Sian Hutchings of the Met Police’s Public Protection Command highlighted the chilling nature of the investigation, noting that Lecka “never given any explanation for her behaviour and what she’s done.” She added that Lecka appeared “visibly bored” during police interviews and showed a “lack of accountability” and “inability to explain her unjustifiable actions.” This lack of remorse has added further distress for the victims’ families.
Sentencing and Impact on Families
On September 26, 2025, Roksana Lecka was sentenced to eight years in prison. The judge also ruled that she must never work with children again. The court heard victim impact statements from the parents, who conveyed the profound devastation caused by Lecka’s “sickening” crimes. Many described feelings of heartbreak, guilt, and a loss of trust, with some questioning their own parenting decisions for placing their children in nursery care. One mother poignantly stated, “These children were so innocent and vulnerable. They couldn’t speak, they couldn’t defend themselves, and they couldn’t tell us as parents that something had happened to them. They were totally helpless and Roksana preyed upon them.”
Parents also expressed gratitude to the Metropolitan Police for “giving them a voice when they didn’t have one” and commended the force’s diligent work in bringing the case to a close. This trending news from London serves as a stark reminder of the importance of vigilance in childcare settings.
A Shocking Lack of Remorse
Throughout the investigation and trial, Lecka maintained a stance of apparent indifference. While she attributed her actions to cannabis use, stating she smoked the drug before her shifts, this explanation offered little solace or understanding to the affected families. She provided a pre-prepared statement to police and largely refused to answer questions, demonstrating a striking lack of empathy or remorse for the suffering she inflicted on defenseless babies. Her conviction and sentencing aim to provide justice for the 21 young victims and reinforce the commitment to protecting vulnerable children in London and across the UK.
