Nursery Worker's Early Deportation Leaves Victims' Families Feeling Betrayed
The father of a toddler subjected to what a judge described as "sadistic" abuse by a nursery worker has expressed profound "upset and frustration" after learning the perpetrator will be deported to Poland this Thursday. This move comes less than five months into her eight-year prison sentence, raising serious questions about the balance between immigration policy and criminal justice.
A Conviction for Systematic Child Cruelty
Roksana Lecka, a Polish national, was convicted in June last year on 21 counts of child cruelty. The jury at Kingston upon Thames Crown Court heard disturbing evidence that she had smacked, punched, pinched, and kicked children aged between 18 months and two years. These acts occurred while she was employed at two separate nurseries in London during 2023 and 2024.
In September, sentencing Lecka to eight years imprisonment, Judge Plaschkes KC condemned her actions as acts of "gratuitous violence" and characterised her conduct as unequivocally sadistic. The lengthy sentence was intended to reflect the severity of the crimes and provide a measure of closure for the affected families.
The Shock of Early Removal
Despite the substantial prison term, victims' families were informed last week that Lecka would be removed from the UK under the government's Early Removal Scheme for foreign offenders. This scheme, which does not require the individual to serve the remainder of their sentence in the destination country, means Lecka will be released upon arrival in Poland.
"All the work that was done, the public money that was spent, the trauma of sitting through the trial, seeing all the evidence – now all of that seems a bit pointless, because the actual sentence is not being served," the father of one victim told the Guardian. He described the news as devastating, coming after the family had begun to feel relief following the sentencing.
Broader Concerns for Public Safety
Beyond the personal distress, families have voiced significant fears for the safety of other children. "Lecka was refused bail on multiple occasions during her period in pre-trial custody, identified as a flight risk and a risk to the public," the father explained. The concern that she might flee to Poland has now, paradoxically, been realised through official policy.
Munira Wilson, the Liberal Democrat MP for Twickenham, who was contacted by the horrified families, emphasised the gravity of the situation. "Let's not forget she was convicted of child cruelty to 21 babies," Wilson stated. "The families want justice to be served, but many of them are also concerned that she may go on to harm children in Poland and elsewhere."
Policy Changes and Political Priorities
Recent amendments to the Early Removal Scheme have progressively reduced the portion of a sentence a foreign offender must serve before becoming eligible for deportation. The threshold was lowered from 50% to 30%, and forthcoming changes this year will permit deportation immediately after sentencing. Critics argue this effectively allows serious criminals to evade meaningful punishment.
Sarah Singer, Professor of Refugee Law at the University of London, criticised the approach. "These early removal schemes are a really blatant example of the administration prioritising removals over criminal justice," she said. "They think it would be a political point scorer, but for the families of the victims this is deeply distressing." She suggested the policy is heavily influenced by the current prison overcrowding crisis, representing an attempt to "offload the problem" rather than address systemic issues.
MP Wilson acknowledged the pressures on the prison system but stressed the victims' perspective. "I understand that our prisons are full... But victims want to see justice done. This policy potentially means that serious offenders are evading justice, and that seems pretty unfair."
A Swift and Controversial Timeline
Due to time served on remand before her trial, Lecka became eligible for deportation on 7 October 2025—less than two weeks after receiving her eight-year sentence. While she will be barred indefinitely from returning to the UK, this offers little consolation to the families who feel the pursuit of justice has been cut short.
The case highlights a growing tension between immigration control objectives and the principles of the criminal justice system. For the victims' families, the outcome feels like a profound failure, leaving them with only the verdict and the hollow notion of a sentence that will never be fully served.
