Roksana Lecka, a 23-year-old nursery worker convicted of abusing 21 babies at two London nurseries, has been released from custody in Poland due to a UK administrative error, according to Polish authorities. Lecka was sentenced to eight years in prison for child cruelty but was deported to Poland under early removal procedures before completing her sentence. However, British officials allegedly failed to send the necessary paperwork to enable her arrest upon arrival, leaving her free.
Deportation Without Formal Procedures
Lecka was deported unilaterally by the UK rather than through a formal prisoner-transfer process. This meant Polish authorities had no automatic legal basis to detain her. Major Dagmara Bielec, spokesperson for the Polish Border Guard, stated: “A Polish citizen expelled from Great Britain has returned to the country, but her arrival did not take place under any of the formal international cooperation procedures in force between Poland and Great Britain.”
Polish reports indicate Lecka was not registered in relevant criminal databases or international alert systems, preventing immediate action. Without official UK documentation and corresponding records, border officials processed her through standard entry procedures and allowed her entry into Poland.
Concerns Over Safeguarding
The incident has sparked safeguarding fears, as Polish authorities reportedly cannot track Lecka or alert childcare facilities about her convictions. Her current location is unknown, though she landed at Warsaw Airport after deportation. The error could potentially allow her to secure another childcare job despite her crimes.
Lecka was arrested in the UK after a colleague reported her strange and “flustered” behavior. She was dismissed, and another staff member disclosed she had nipped several children during that shift.
Details of Abuse
Metropolitan Police reviewed CCTV from June 2024, showing Lecka pinching and scratching children under their clothes on arms, legs, and torsos. Numerous children were pinched scores of times daily, with many crying and recoiling. Footage also showed her kicking a child on the ground, forcing children head-first over cots, shoving a child onto a mattress, and covering a toddler’s mouth as he cried. Additional footage allegedly showed her vaping inside the nursery and blowing vapor toward children’s beds.
Lecka confessed to seven child cruelty offenses and was found guilty by a jury of 14 others. Gemma Burns of the Crown Prosecution Service said: “Lecka repeatedly showed exceptional cruelty in her treatment of these babies.”
