A 22-year-old nursery worker has been sentenced to eight years in prison for abusing 21 babies while employed at two childcare centres in south-west London.
Roksana Lecka, of Hounslow, committed the offences between October 2023 and June 2024 while working at Riverside Nursery in Twickenham Green and at Little Munchkins in Hounslow. She assaulted children as young as ten months old, kicking, pinching and scratching them, Kingston Crown Court heard.
Lecka joined the £2,000-per-month Riverside Montessori nursery in January 2024 despite having no formal childcare qualifications. In less than five months she repeatedly mistreated infants, often checking to see whether other staff were watching.
Concerns were raised after parents and staff noticed bruises and scratches on children. A subsequent police investigation uncovered extensive CCTV footage of Lecka’s assaults, including her kicking a young boy in the face several times and pinching crying toddlers under their clothing. The videos drew audible gasps in court.
Lecka admitted seven counts of child cruelty but denied 17 more. After a trial she was convicted on 14 of the remaining charges and acquitted of three. She attempted to blame her behaviour on cannabis use, vaping and personal problems, but prosecutors said the abuse was deliberate.
During the sentencing hearing, parents described how their children were “totally defenceless” and “preyed upon”. One father told the court he believed Lecka might have “seriously injured or even killed” a child if she had not been stopped.
Detective Inspector Sian Hutchings of the Metropolitan Police said the case had been “complex and emotional”, adding: “The victims in this case are just babies, with the youngest being 10 months old. As a result of the hard work from our investigation team and our partners, this woman will no longer be able to harm children.”
Lecka showed little remorse when arrested, smirking at officers and answering “no comment” in interviews. She is currently serving her sentence at HMP Bronzefield, where reports say she has befriended convicted babysitter killer Sabrina Kouider.
Dukes Education, which runs Riverside Nursery, described the matter as a “profound breach of trust” and said it had acted immediately after receiving complaints about Lecka’s behaviour. Parents of more than half of the victims are now pursuing legal action against the company.
