A Polish nursery worker convicted of abusing 21 babies will not be required to serve the remainder of her eight-year prison sentence once deported from Britain this week, the government has confirmed, sparking fury among victims’ families.
Border security minister Alex Norris disclosed in correspondence sent Wednesday that whilst Roksana Lecka will not continue her incarceration in Poland, British authorities have notified Polish law enforcement about her convictions to enable appropriate safeguarding measures.
The 23-year-old is scheduled for deportation on 5 February, with responsibility for any further monitoring or restrictions passing to Polish authorities once she leaves UK jurisdiction. Lecka was sentenced to eight years in September after admitting seven counts of child cruelty and being convicted of 14 additional counts following trial.
Parents of the abused children received less than one week’s notice of the impending deportation, according to Liberal Democrat MP Munira Wilson, who raised the case in the Commons. Families have been provided with no information regarding whether Lecka will face supervision requirements or restrictions on working with children in Poland.
One parent whose child suffered abuse at Lecka’s hands told BBC London the news left them “shocked, angry and frustrated.” The parent questioned the purpose of custodial sentences if foreign nationals can avoid serving them, arguing the theoretical goals of punishment, rehabilitation and deterrence have not been achieved in this case.
“The expectation obviously was that that sentence would be served. And it now appears it’s not going to be,” the parent stated, adding that uncertainty about rehabilitation and the absence of deterrent effects made “the process feel slightly pointless.”
Wilson pressed for transparency regarding Lecka’s release conditions, emphasising that clear communication is essential in child abuse cases. The MP argued that individuals who commit crimes in Britain should face the full force of UK law and complete their sentences before deportation, expressing concern that Lecka “may go on to abuse other children in Poland, or other countries.”
Victims minister Alex Davies-Jones sent sympathies to those affected by what she termed “most heinous crimes.” She confirmed sentencing minister Jake Richards will meet with the Home Office to discuss the case’s specific requirements.
British police are understood to be attempting to contact Polish authorities to ensure they possess complete information about Lecka’s offending history, though the mechanisms for ongoing safeguarding once she enters Polish jurisdiction remain unclear to affected families.
Lecka’s crimes came to light in June 2024 after she was dismissed from Riverside Nursery in Twickenham for pinching multiple children. The nursery has since permanently closed. Lecka, who lived in Hounslow, London, worked at the facility between January and June 2024.
Judge Sarah Plaschkes KC detailed at sentencing that Lecka “pinched, slapped, punched, smacked and kicked” children, “pulled their ears, hair and their toes”, and toppled them “headfirst into cots.”
A Home Office spokesperson declined to discuss individual cases but stated the government will not permit foreign criminals to exploit laws, noting that foreign national offenders receiving UK prison sentences are referred for deportation at the earliest opportunity. The department highlighted ongoing reforms to human rights laws and appeals systems intended to increase deportation capacity.
The procedural outcome means affected families must now rely on Polish authorities to determine what supervision or restrictions, if any, will apply to Lecka following her arrival in Poland on Thursday.
