Nursery Worker Jailed Eight Years for Abusing 21 Babies

Roksana Lecka, a 22-year-old nursery worker, has been jailed for eight years after a sustained and “sadistic” campaign of abuse against 21 babies at two London nurseries. CCTV shown at Kingston Crown Court captured her repeatedly pinching, scratching, slapping, punching and kicking infants—including repeatedly striking a little boy in the face—pushing babies head-first into cots and covering a toddler’s mouth, leaving victims, some as young as ten months, with bruises and lasting trauma. Lecka admitted seven counts of cruelty and was convicted by a jury of a further 14 counts; Judge Sarah Plaschkes KC described the offences as gratuitous violence and sadistic when passing sentence. Police began reviewing CCTV after parents and colleagues raised concerns, examining footage from October 2023 to June 2024, and Riverside Montessori in Twickenham has since closed. Investigators said Lecka gave “no comment” in interviews, showed no remorse, and families have been left deeply upset and traumatised by the attacks.