A London-based nursery worker, Roksana Lecka, 22, has been sentenced to eight years in prison for a series of ‘gratuitous’ and ‘sadistic’ assaults on infants under her care. The shocking case, which came to light in June 2024, involved multiple acts of violence against 21 babies at two nurseries where Lecka was employed. Among the incidents, she was found to have repeatedly kicked a young boy in the face, pinched, slapped, and even toppled children headfirst into their cots. Judge Sarah Plaschkes described Lecka’s actions as deliberate and cruel, often targeting children who were peacefully occupied. Lecka admitted to seven counts of cruelty to a person under 16 and was convicted of an additional 14 counts following a trial. She was acquitted of three further charges. The abuse was uncovered after nursery CCTV footage captured her mistreating the children, prompting police involvement. Victim impact statements from parents revealed the profound emotional toll the attacks had taken, with one mother describing the infants as ‘innocent, vulnerable, and helpless.’ Lecka, who blamed her actions on cannabis addiction, apologized in a letter to the court, claiming the drug had altered her personality. However, her remorse did little to mitigate the severity of her crimes, as the judge emphasized the ‘sadistic’ nature of her conduct.