Roksana Lecka abused 21 babies at two London nurseries whilst high on cannabis, leaving victims with scratches, bruises and pinch marks
A nursery worker who subjected 21 babies to “sadistic” abuse including kicking a boy in the face four times has been jailed for eight years at Kingston Crown Court. Roksana Lecka, 22, left infants as young as ten months with scratches to their faces and necks, pinch marks on their inner legs and stomachs, and bruises across their bodies during a six-month reign of terror at two South West London nurseries.
The court heard harrowing testimony from parents who branded Lecka “the worst kind of human” after watching CCTV footage that showed her systematically targeting defenceless children who “couldn’t speak, couldn’t defend themselves” and were “totally helpless” against her attacks.
Judge Sarah Plaschkes KC told the defendant: “You committed multiple acts of gratuitous violence. You pinched, slapped, punched, smacked and kicked them. You pulled their ears, hair and their toes. You toppled children headfirst into cots.”
Cannabis Use and Vaping
Lecka, from Hounslow, admitted to smoking cannabis before her shifts and was caught on camera vaping less than a metre from babies at Riverside Nursery in Twickenham, where she worked between January and June 2024. The nursery, which charged up to £1,900 per month and followed the prestigious Montessori method of teaching, has since closed following the scandal.
The 22-year-old told the court she would “smoke cannabis quite regularly” with her boyfriend and was “addicted” to vaping, consuming two disposable vapes daily. She claimed that without nicotine she would become “agitated and fed up” and would vape in the nursery, hiding the device in her bra.
“I was so tired at the time and was not getting any sleep,” Lecka told jurors. “I was addicted to my boyfriend so was over-prioritising him.”
Her lawyer argued she was “worn out, had bad period pains, was short of energy” and “not her normally bubbly self” – claims prosecutor Tracy Ayling KC dismissed as mere “excuses” for deliberate cruelty.
Systematic Pattern of Abuse
The abuse came to light on June 28, 2024, when an alert colleague reported seeing Lecka pinch several children whilst appearing “flustered.” The nursery sent her home immediately, prompting Metropolitan Police detectives to review 45 hours of CCTV footage.
The footage revealed a shocking pattern of systematic abuse. Lecka could be seen checking whether other staff members were watching before inflicting pain on children who were “quietly and happily minding their own business.” She would then “calmly watch the pain and suffering” she had caused.
In one particularly disturbing incident, Lecka kicked a young boy in the face four times and stomped on his shoulder. Police later seized the trainers she wore during this assault. She was also filmed pushing babies headfirst over cots, covering a toddler’s mouth when he cried, and putting her weight on children’s backs.
Several children were pinched dozens of times over the course of a single day, with Lecka targeting areas under their clothes including arms, legs and stomachs. The attacks left victims crying, arching their backs, and attempting to writhe away from her grasp.
Parents’ Heartbreak
The sentencing hearing heard devastating victim impact statements from parents whose children had suffered at Lecka’s hands. One mother, looking directly at the defendant, told the court: “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.”
Another parent described watching the CCTV footage as “the worst two days of my life,” adding: “Watching how relentless Roksana was in picking out a child and assaulting them again and again was horrifying.”
The court heard that some footage showed babies “reaching back out to Roksana after she hurt them” – a detail that particularly distressed parents. One mother stated: “I think Roksana is a huge threat to society. It is objectively shocking that she has been hiding in plain sight in society up until she was arrested.”
Parents reported their children had been left with sleeping issues and separation anxiety following the abuse. Several described feeling overwhelming guilt, with one family stating: “As parents, we live with guilt. We know it’s not our fault, but we still feel it, because we were not there to protect him.”
Smirking During Arrest
Chilling footage played to the court showed Lecka smirking as officers arrested her at her home after the CCTV evidence emerged. When told she had been accused of assaulting babies, she replied casually: “Yeah I have heard about that.”
During her police interview, she answered “no comment” to every question and showed no emotion when presented with photographs of the injuries she had inflicted on the children.
In a prepared statement following her arrest on July 5, 2024, Lecka claimed: “I deny assaulting any children at the Riverside Nursery. I went into work that day and had a normal day. There were no accidents where any child seemed hurt.”
Previous Warning Signs
The court heard Lecka had abused children at two nurseries between October 2023 and June 2024, with one count relating to Little Munchkins in Hounslow. Parents had reported unusual injuries and bruising on their children in March and May 2024, months before her crimes were discovered.
Despite there being no apparent safeguarding issues when she was initially hired, the judge noted that Lecka’s actions were “deliberate and calculated.” She would look around to ensure other staff members weren’t watching before attacking the children.
Detective Inspector Sian Hutchings of the Metropolitan Police’s Public Protection Command said: “Despite being given multiple opportunities to do so, Lecka never admitted to her offences during the course of the investigation or gave any real insight into what caused her to do this.”
Lasting Impact
The financial and emotional toll on families has been severe, with many forced to take time off work due to stress and facing increased childcare costs after Twickenham Green Montessori, part of the Riverside Nursery group, permanently closed.
This crime has changed the way we view the world and how we parent,” one family told the court. “We will carry the weight of what was done to him for the rest of his life.”
Crown Prosecution Service prosecutor Gemma Burns condemned Lecka’s “exceptional cruelty,” stating: “Lecka was placed in a position of trust and her job required her to provide safety and protection. Instead, she kicked, scratched, and pinched these young children.”
Prison Attacks and Sentencing
The court heard that Lecka had been attacked twice in prison and placed on a vulnerable prisoners’ wing. During the sentencing hearing, she was seen with her head in her hands and requested a break partway through the parents’ statements.
Judge Plaschkes characterised Lecka’s criminal conduct as “sadistic,” noting: “At that age, children are vulnerable because they cannot understand, let alone tell anyone of their suffering.”
Referring to a hollow apology offered by Lecka, the judge stated: “It was an attempt to disassociate and minimise your actions. The footage demonstrates you knew what you were doing, your actions were deliberate and calculated.”
Lecka was convicted of 14 counts of child cruelty after a six-week trial at Kingston Crown Court in June, having previously admitted seven charges. She was cleared of three counts relating to three children. Alongside her eight-year prison sentence, she has been permanently barred from working with children.
Detective Constable Eloise Hand and Detective Sergeant Geoff Boye, who led the investigation, received a thank-you video from parents and children, with families expressing gratitude for “giving their children a voice when they didn’t have one.”
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