NURSERY WORKER JAILED FOR ABUSING 21 BABIES WHILE HIGH ON CANNABIS
Nursery Worker Jailed for Abusing 21 Babies While High on Cannabis London, September 2025 — A nursery worker who carried out shocking acts of cruelty against 21 babies while under the influence of cannabis has been jailed for eight years.Roksana Lecka, 22, was found guilty at Kingston Crown Court of 14 counts of child cruelty, having previously admitted to seven charges.
She was convicted of repeatedly attacking infants in her care at Riverside Nursery in Twickenham, southwest London.
Disturbing CCTV Evidence Chilling CCTV footage from the nursery’s baby sleep room shows Lecka vaping in near darkness as children slept nearby.
At one point, she leans over a cot, puffing on her vape, while moments later she peers into a crib.
The court heard how Lecka, described by parents as the “worst kind of human,” would punch, slap, kick, pinch, and even topple children headfirst into cots.
Her abuse left babies with bruises, red marks, and visible distress.
Judge Sarah Plaschkes KC told her: > “You committed multiple acts of gratuitous violence.
You caused pain to defenceless infants who trusted you for care.
Your conduct was sadistic, and you deliberately ensured other staff were not watching before inflicting harm.” Police Investigation Metropolitan Police officers began investigating in June 2024 after concerns were raised by nursery staff.
Reviewing more than 300 hours of CCTV, officers discovered repeated abuse carried out between October 2023 and June 2024.
Detective Inspector Sian Hutchings, of the Met’s Public Protection Command, said: > “The victims in this case are just babies, some as young as 10 months.
What has shocked us most is Roksana’s lack of accountability and her inability to explain her unjustifiable actions.
Thanks to the investigation team’s hard work, she can no longer harm children.” Lecka’s Defence During her trial, Lecka admitted to regularly smoking cannabis and being addicted to vaping.
She told jurors: > “At that time, I was really addicted to vapes.
I would smoke two disposables a day.
I vaped in the nursery because I couldn’t keep asking to go to the toilet.
If I didn’t vape, I’d get moody and fed up.” Her defence argued she was exhausted, suffering from period pains, and “over-prioritising” her boyfriend.
But prosecutors dismissed these explanations as excuses for deliberate cruelty.
Footage played in court also showed Lecka giving “no comment” answers during police interviews and remaining emotionless when confronted with photos of the injuries she caused.
Parents’ Anguish Parents of the victims condemned her actions as “sickening” and said she betrayed the trust placed in nursery staff.
Riverside Nursery, which charges up to £1,900 per month, follows the Montessori teaching method and had no apparent safeguarding issues when Lecka was hired.
The court heard the abuse was first suspected when CCTV captured Lecka pinching a child, leaving visible red marks.
Further reviews revealed her repeatedly pinching, slapping, and grabbing children by their hair, face, and limbs.
Sentence Lecka was arrested in July 2024 after the footage emerged.
Despite initially denying all wrongdoing, she was found guilty of widespread abuse.
Judge Plaschkes concluded her sentencing remarks by stressing the long-term emotional impact on victims’ families, saying: > “You deliberately inflicted pain on babies who could not defend themselves.
Your actions will haunt their parents for years to come.” Lecka will serve her eight-year sentence in prison, with time spent on remand deducted.
‐----------------------------- A nursery employee at Riverside Nursery in Twickenham faces serious allegations of child cruelty, with CCTV footage capturing her physically assaulting 23 infants over a six-month period.
The 22-year-old, Roksana Lecka, is accused of punching, pinching, and grabbing children, resulting in visible injuries such as scratches and marks on their faces, necks, stomachs, and legs.
Court evidence included footage showing her pinching children's faces, legs, and bodies, as well as pulling a girl’s hair.
In one video, she was recorded vaping before removing a baby from a crib and then pinching or striking her.
Jurors heard that Lecka seemed to look around to see if anyone was watching during these abusive acts, which involved pinching a child's nose and other harmful behaviors.
The investigation, which reviewed CCTV footage over a month, led to her arrest on July 5 of the previous year.
During her statement, she denied assault, asserting she followed proper procedures and was unaware how injuries were caused.
She has pleaded guilty to two charges of child cruelty but disputes 21 other allegations, with her trial ongoing.
The alleged incidents occurred at Riverside Nursery, a facility charging up to £1,900 monthly, and utilizing the Montessori method.
When she was hired, initial safeguarding checks found no concerns.
The case raises serious questions about the safety of children under her supervision, with legal proceedings to ascertain her guilt or innocence continuing.
• Roksana Lecka, born on 13 October 2002, faced 24 charges of cruelty to a person under 16, in violation of section 1(1) of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933.
• She admitted guilt to seven counts, and the jury convicted her on 14 charges.
• She was found not guilty on three counts of child cruelty.
• Lecka is scheduled for sentencing at Kingston Crown Court on 26 September 2025.
• Riverside Nursery in Twickenham has since permanently closed.
