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A nursery worker who mistreated 21 children in her care, including kicking one boy in the face, has been jailed for eight years.

Roksana Lecka was caught on CCTV pinching, punching and kicking her victims while working at the now closed Riverside Nursery in Twickenham, southwest London.

The 22-year-old was also seen aggressively covering a young boy’s mouth as he started to cry, in a pattern of behaviour described as “exceptional cruelty”. In one incident, she kicked a little boy in the face several times.

Lecka, of Hounslow, had previously pleaded guilty to seven counts of cruelty towards a person under the age of 16.

A jury at Kingston Crown Court convicted her of another 14 counts in June following a trial. She was found not guilty of three further counts of child cruelty.

Metropolitan Police detectives reviewed CCTV from a number of days in June 2024 that showed her pinching and scratching children under their clothes – on their arms, legs and stomachs.

Several of the children were seen being pinched dozens of times over the course of a day. Most cried and flinched away from Lecka.

Lecka during a police interview. Pic: Met Police/PA
Image:
Lecka during a police interview. Pic: Met Police/PA

Lecka could be seen vaping in another clip before taking a baby from a crib, who she was later filmed pinching and punching her side.

Several parents of the children who had been under Lecka’s care reported unusual injuries and bruising in March and May 2024.

When footage of the incidents was played in court, there were gasps from parents in the public gallery – some who were watching it for the first time.

Other instances of abuse included kicking a child who was on the floor, pushing children headfirst over cots, shoving a child onto a mattress in a sleep room, and aggressively covering a toddler’s mouth as he started to cry.

Lecka was arrested at her home. Pic: Met Police
Image:
Lecka was arrested at her home. Pic: Met Police

Parents call Lecka ‘worst kind of human’

Giving victim impact statements to the court, the parents of the children described Lecka as the “worst kind of human”.

And handing down a sentence, Judge Sarah Plaschkes KC told her: “You committed multiple acts of gratuitous violence.”

After describing the violence against the children, she added: “When you committed these acts of cruelty, you would look at the other members of staff to make sure that they were not watching you.

“Often the child would be quietly and happily minding its own business before you deliberately inflicted pain, causing the child to cry, arch, try to get away or writhe around in distress.

“Time after time, you calmly watched the pain and suffering you have caused. Your criminal conduct can properly be characterised as sadistic.”

Lawyers call for ‘further answers’ on abuse

Jemma Till, the expert lawyer at Irwin Mitchell representing families, said after sentencing that Lecka “abused her position of trust in cruellest way over a number of months”.

She then said that “serious questions remain as to how Lecka’s abuse was allowed to go unchecked for several months”, before adding: “Our focus is now on securing families, who will continue to be affected by Lecka’s actions for years to come, with the further answers they deserve.”

The parents of a child that Lecka admitted to assaulting also said through the law firm that “trying to come to terms with what our child suffered, has been incredibly difficult”.

“Whilst we’re relieved Lecka has been stopped and dealt with by the courts, the effects of what happened still impact on our family,” they said.

“We’re now nervous about letting our child out of our sight and into the care of others, a position no parent should find themselves in.”

Lecka ‘didn’t appear bothered’ during questioning

The Metropolitan Police noted that one of the charges against Lecka related to an incident at Little Munchkins in Hounslow, and said she appeared “visibly bored” during a police interview.

Detective Inspector Sian Hutchings, the senior investigating officer in the case, told the PA news agency that the former nursery worker has “never given any explanation for her behaviour and what she’s done”.

During Lecka’s police interview, she gave no comment answers and “didn’t appear bothered by the seriousness of the allegations”, Ms Hutchings said.

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Gemma Burns, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said in a statement after sentencing that Lecka “repeatedly showed exceptional cruelty in her appalling treatment of these babies”.

She said: “No parent should have to fear leaving their child in the care of professionals, but the sheer scale of her abuse is staggering.

“Lecka was placed in a position of trust and her job required her to provide safety and protection.”

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Starmer urges anyone with information on Epstein case to come forward – after Andrew misses Congress deadline

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Deadline day for Andrew to respond to Epstein inquiry - but it's hard to imagine why he'd talk

Sir Keir Starmer has urged anyone with information on the Jeffrey Epstein case to come forward after Andrew Mountbatten Windsor missed the deadline to appear in front of US Congress.

US legislators have criticised Andrew for what they describe as “silence” amid their probe into Epstein after he failed to respond to their request for an interview.

When asked about Andrew missing the deadline and whether the former prince should help the case in any way he can, Sir Keir said on his way to the G20 summit in South Africa: “I don’t comment on this particular case.”

He added that “a general principle I’ve held for a very long time is that anybody who has got relevant information in relation to these kind of cases should give that evidence to those that need it”.

Andrew is not legally obliged to talk to Congress and has always vigorously denied any wrongdoing.

More on Andrew Mountbatten Windsor

Sir Keir Starmer spoke to reporters on his way to the G20 in South Africa. Pic: Reuters
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Sir Keir Starmer spoke to reporters on his way to the G20 in South Africa. Pic: Reuters

It comes as Marjorie Taylor Greene, a loyal supporter-turned-critic of US President Donald Trump, said on Friday she is resigning from Congress in January.

Ms Greene’s resignation followed a public falling-out with Mr Trump in recent months, as the congresswoman criticised him for his stance on files related to Epstein, as well as on foreign policy and healthcare.

Members of the House Oversight Committee had requested a “transcribed interview” with Andrew in connection with his “long-standing friendship” with Epstein, the paedophile financier who took his own life in a New York prison in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking and conspiracy charges.

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Releasing the Epstein files: How we got here

But after saying they had not heard back, Democrats Robert Garcia and Suhas Subramanyam accused Andrew of hiding.

Their statement read: “Andrew Mountbatten Windsor’s silence in the face of the Oversight Democrat’s demand for testimony speaks volumes.

“The documents we’ve reviewed, along with public records and Virginia Roberts Giuffre’s testimony, raise serious questions he must answer, yet he continues to hide.

“Our work will move forward with or without him, and we will hold anyone who was involved in these crimes accountable, no matter their wealth, status, or political party. We will get justice for the survivors.”

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The new Epstein files: The key takeaways

It follows Andrew being stripped of his prince and Duke of York titles earlier this month.

He had previously agreed to stop using his titles, but had expected to remain a prince and retain his dukedom, ahead of the publication of the memoirs of the late Ms Giuffre, who had accused him of sexually assaulting her when she was a teenager – an accusation he denies.

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Girl, 13, arrested on suspicion of murdering woman in Swindon

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Girl, 13, arrested on suspicion of murdering woman in Swindon

A 13-year-old girl has been arrested on suspicion of murdering a woman in Swindon.

Police said the teenager was detained following an incident in Baydon Close, Moredon, in the Wiltshire town on Friday evening.

Officers responded to reports of disorder inside a house. When they arrived, a woman in her 50s living at the address was found to be not breathing. She was declared dead at the scene.

There were no other reported injuries.

Forensic officers are at the scene to collect evidence
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Forensic officers are at the scene to collect evidence

Detective Inspector Darren Ambrose, from Wiltshire Police’s major crime investigation team, said: “This is a serious incident in which a woman has sadly died.

“We have set up a cordon at the address while an investigation is carried out.

“I can confirm that we have arrested a teenage girl in connection with this incident and we are not looking for anyone else.”

Police have asked people not to speculate about the incident online as this could prejudice the case.

A police statement read: “Residents can expect to see an increased police presence in the area while we continue carrying out our enquiries into the woman’s death.

“The suspect remains in custody at this time.”

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Police said anyone with concerns should speak with their local neighbourhood policing team, either by emailing or approaching officers in person.

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Rail fares to be frozen for first time in 30 years

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Rail fares to be frozen for first time in 30 years

Rail fares are to be frozen for the first time in 30 years, the government has announced.

Ministers promised that millions of rail travellers will save hundreds of pounds on regulated fares, including season tickets and peak and off-peak returns between major cities.

The fare freeze applies to England and services run by English train operators.

People commuting to work three days a week using flexi-season tickets will save £315 a year travelling from Milton Keynes to London, £173 travelling from Woking to London and £57 from Bradford to Leeds, the government said.

The changes are part of Labour’s plans to rebuild a publicly owned Great British Railways. Other planned changes include tap in-tap out and digital ticketing, as well as investing in superfast Wi-Fi.

The freeze applies to regulated fares, including season tickets and peak and off-peak returns. Pic: iStock
Image:
The freeze applies to regulated fares, including season tickets and peak and off-peak returns. Pic: iStock

Chancellor Rachel Reeves said the government was introducing a freeze on rail fares for the first time in 30 years, which “will ease the pressure on household finances and make travelling to work, school or to visit friends and family that bit easier”.

“We all want to see cheaper rail travel, so we’re freezing fares to help millions of passengers save money,” Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said.

“Commuters on more expensive routes will save more than £300 per year, meaning they keep more of their hard-earned cash.”

Rail unions and passenger groups welcomed the move, praising how it will make travel more affordable for passengers and promote more sustainable travel alternatives.

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Eddie Dempsey, general secretary of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union, said: “More affordable fares will encourage greater use of public transport, supporting jobs, giving a shot in the arm to local economies and helping to improve the environment.”

TUC general secretary Paul Nowak said the rail fare freeze “will be a huge relief to working people”.

“This is the right decision, at the right time, to help passengers be able to afford to make that journey they need to take, and to help grow our railway in this country, because the railway is Britain’s green alternative – taking cars and lorries off our congested roads and moving people and goods safely around our country in an environmentally-friendly way,” Mick Whelan, general secretary of the train drivers union Aslef, said.

The Tories welcomed the move but said the government was “late to the platform”.

Shadow transport secretary Richard Holden said: “In government, the Conservatives kept fares on the right track with below-inflation rises and consistently called for no further hikes to protect hard-working commuters.”

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