Nursery worker jailed over abuse of 21 babies

A 22-year-old nursery worker has been jailed for eight years for multiple counts of child cruelty after abusing 21 babies.

Roksana Lecka, from Hounslow, west London, admitted seven counts of cruelty to a person under the age of 16 and was convicted after a trial of another 14 counts over her "gratuitous" and "sadistic" actions at two nurseries.

Her crimes were discovered in June last year after she was sent home for pinching a number of children at Riverside Nursery in Twickenham, south-west London.

Parents of Lecka's victims told of their feelings of heartbreak, guilt and distrust in victim impact statements at Kingston Crown Court.

Judge Sarah Plaschkes KC told the defendant: "You committed multiple acts of gratuitous violence.

"You pinched, slapped, punched, smacked and kicked them. You pulled their ears, hair and their toes. You toppled children headfirst into cots. You caused bruising and lingering red marks."

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