A nursery worker jailed for abusing 21 babies is set to be deported to Poland, but parents of the victims fear she could go on to harm other children, MPs have been told.
Roksana Lecka is due to leave the UK on 5 February, after which responsibility for her case will pass to Polish authorities. Lecka, now 23, was sentenced to eight years in prison in September after admitting seven counts of cruelty to a person under 16 and being found guilty of a further 14 charges following a trial.
Liberal Democrat MP Munira Wilson raised the case in the House of Commons, saying parents had been given little information about whether Lecka would serve the remainder of her sentence in Poland or be released.
“The parents of the 21 babies abused by Roksana Lecka at Riverside Nursery in Twickenham were given less than a week’s notice that she would be deported to Poland,” Wilson said. “They fear that if left unsupervised, she could harm many more children.”
Wilson called for clearer communication and transparency in child abuse cases and asked for details about the conditions surrounding Lecka’s release.
In a letter to Wilson, border security and asylum minister Alex Norris said Lecka was not required to serve the rest of her sentence in Poland, but confirmed that Polish law enforcement had been informed of her convictions so safeguarding measures could be taken.
One parent of an abused child said they felt “shocked, angry and frustrated” by the news of Lecka’s deportation.
“The expectation was that the sentence would be served, and now it appears it won’t be,” the parent said. “It’s unclear whether there’s been any rehabilitation, and as a deterrent, it feels pointless.”
Wilson said parents wanted justice for their children, adding: “If someone comes to this country, breaks our laws, they should serve their time before being deported. Who knows, she may go on to abuse other children in Poland or elsewhere.”
Victims minister Alex Davies-Jones said her “thoughts and sympathies” were with the families affected and confirmed that sentencing minister Jake Richards was due to meet the Home Office to discuss the case. British police are understood to be in contact with Polish authorities to ensure they are aware of Lecka’s offending history.
A Home Office spokesperson said all foreign national offenders who receive prison sentences are referred for deportation as early as possible, while a Ministry of Justice spokesperson confirmed Lecka will receive a lifetime ban on returning to the UK.
Lecka’s crimes came to light in June 2024 after she was sent home from Riverside Nursery in Twickenham for pinching children. The nursery has since closed. She worked there between January and June 2024.
At sentencing, Judge Sarah Plaschkes KC said Lecka had “pinched, slapped, punched, smacked and kicked” children, pulled their ears, hair and toes, and toppled them “headfirst into cots”.
