Full Breakdown
Polish Nursery Worker Deported After Abusing 21 Babies in London
5/20/2026, 10:57:35 PM
Abuse, Sentencing and Early Deportation
Polish national Roksana Lecka, 23, assaulted 21 infants while employed at Riverside Nursery in Twickenham and Little Munchkins in Hounslow between October 2023 and June 2024. Offences recorded by police include punching, kicking, smacking, pinching, vaping and smoking cannabis in the children’s presence, leaving visible scratches, pinch marks and bruises. In September 2023 she received an eight-year custodial sentence. After serving 14 months—approximately 15 % of the term, including time on remand—she was deported to Poland in February 2024 under the UK’s Early Removal/Release Scheme and is now banned for life from re-entering the United Kingdom.
Key Actors and Institutional Responses
- Roksana Lecka – the convicted nursery worker.
- Ministry of Justice (MoJ) – issued the deportation order and lifetime ban.
- Munira Wilson, Liberal Democrat MP for Twickenham – criticised the handling of the case.
- Parents of the victims – voiced opposition to the early-release decision.
- Polish authorities – have been approached for comment but have not yet responded.
Scope of the Abuse: Data Overview
- Victims: 21 babies.
- Locations: Riverside Nursery (Twickenham, now closed) and Little Munchkins (Hounslow).
- Sentence: 8 years imprisonment.
- Time served: 14 months (?15 % of sentence).
- Deportation: Executed under the Early Removal Scheme; lifetime entry ban imposed.
Official Statements and Government Response
The MoJ spokesperson said the crimes were “appalling” and affirmed that Lecka “is banned for life from returning to the UK following her deportation under the Early Removal Scheme.” MP Munira Wilson described the lack of communication with families as “outrageous” and added that “the fact that they heard from the police, not even the Home Office, is also unacceptable.” Wilson called for mandatory CCTV in nurseries and the creation of a national childcare-workers register. The Polish government has been asked to comment on the deportation.
Criticism, Parental Opposition, and Policy Concerns
Parents characterised the deportation as “horrendous” and “utterly dumfounded,” arguing that child abusers should be excluded from early-release programmes. They expressed fear that Lecka could reoffend without any onward duty of care in Poland. One mother questioned, “How can someone commit a crime on vulnerable children in this country and then be returned to their country, with absolutely no onward duty of care…?” The case has prompted calls for stricter safety measures, including compulsory CCTV and a formal register of childcare staff.
Verbatim Quotes
- “completely inappropriate” — Father of a victim
- “We felt it undermined all that time and emotion that had gone into the trial,” — Father of a victim
- “These were appalling crimes, and our thoughts remain with the victims and their families. Roksana Lecka is banned for life from returning to the UK following her deportation under the Early Removal Scheme.” — Ministry of Justice spokesperson
- “outrageous” — MP Munira Wilson
- “How can someone commit a crime on vulnerable children in this country and then be returned to their country, with absolutely no onward duty of care about where they’re going to go and anything put in place to make sure they don’t do this again?” — Mother of a victim
Next Steps and Ongoing Inquiries
Families have been given less than a week’s notice before the deportation, intensifying calls for a review of the Early Removal Scheme. MP Wilson’s proposals for mandatory CCTV and a childcare-workers register are under discussion. The Polish government’s response remains pending, and further scrutiny of cross-border offender management is expected.
