A former nursery worker who served eight years in prison for mistreating 21 infants while under the influence of drugs is now residing freely in another country after spending only 14 months behind bars in the UK, as confirmed by Polish authorities.

Roksana Lecka, aged 23, was incarcerated last September for mistreating children as young as ten months old at two nurseries in west London, where she physically abused them by pinching, punching, and kicking over a seven-month period. In February, she was sent back to Poland under the Early Removal Scheme, which led to her release upon arrival due to a lack of formal international cooperation procedures between the two countries.

According to Major Dagmara Bielec of the Nadwislanski Border Guard Unit, the Polish citizen’s return from the UK did not follow established international protocols, resulting in her entry being processed under standard procedures without being flagged in criminal databases or alert systems.

Lecka arrived in Warsaw on February 5, and her current location remains undisclosed. Her brutal actions, including repeatedly kicking an infant in the face during a nine-month period of violence described as “gratuitous” and “sadistic,” occurred between 2023 and 2024.

Deemed ineligible to return to the UK, Lecka was convicted of seven counts of cruelty to minors under 16 years old, leading to an eight-year prison term in September. Judge Sarah Plaschkes KC, during her sentencing, highlighted Lecka’s acts of physical abuse, describing them as sadistic and causing pain and distress to the children.

Her criminal behavior was exposed when parents and staff noticed bruising and scratches on the children under her care, prompting an investigation that uncovered CCTV footage of Lecka harming the infants.

Following her deportation, concerns arose regarding the completion of Lecka’s sentence in Poland, with parents expressing dismay over the lack of clarity on her remaining jail time. The decision to release her prematurely raised doubts about the effectiveness of the justice system and the impact on deterrence against similar offenses.

Efforts to ascertain the terms of Lecka’s release were made by Lib Dem MP Munira Wilson, who advocated for transparency regarding her status post-deportation. Despite confirmation that she was eligible for expulsion after serving time on remand, questions lingered regarding the monitoring of her activities and potential risks she poses, especially in childcare settings.

While the UK authorities informed Polish law enforcement of Lecka’s convictions to facilitate safeguarding measures, concerns persist about the lack of oversight on her movements and the potential for her to seek employment involving children.

A Ministry of Justice spokesperson condemned Lecka’s actions as heinous and reiterated the government’s commitment to deporting foreign national offenders swiftly, emphasizing the need to prevent such incidents in the future.