THIS is the chilling moment a nursery worker smirked as she was arrested for attacking 21 babies including one she kicked in the face.
Roksana Lecka left the children with scratches to their faces and necks and pinch marks on their inner legs and stomachs.
She also kicked one young boy in the face and stomped on him in footage that left the courtroom horrified.
A 22-year-old faced accusations of “seriously harming” children over a span of six months while employed at the Riverside Nursery in Twickenham, located in South West London.
The nursery, which charges up to £1,900 a month to look after children aged up to two years, follows the Montessori method of teaching.
She wept as she was today found guilty of 14 counts of child cruelty after previously admitting seven charges.
Lecka was cleared of three counts relating to three children at Kingston Crown Court.
Police today released footage of Lecka being arrested at her home after CCTV emerged of her abusing the children.
She could be seen smirking as officers talk to her before one cop tells her she has been accused of assaulting babies.
Lecka replies: “Yeah I have heard about that”.
Separate footage shows the nursery worker sat in her police interview answering “no comment” to every question.
She also fails to show any emotion when shown pictures of the horror injuries she inflicted on the children.
The court heard how there were no apparent safeguarding issues when Lecka was hired.
But last summer, CCTV of the baby room appeared to show the worker pinch a child – leaving them with red marks.
In footage played to the court, Lecka could also be seen pinching the legs, back and under arm of a girl who can be seen crying.
Further footage showed her pinching the side of a girl’s face and grabbing her hair.
Lecka can be seen vaping in another clip before she took a baby from a crib and pinched and punched her side.
One victim was sat at a table when Lecka repeatedly pinched her – causing the girl to cry, it was said.
She then grabbed the girl by the arm and pulled her hair so her head made contact with the table.
The court heard Lecka was “looking around” at other members of staff to see who was “watching when these assaults occur”.
One colleague reported seeing the worker assault a boy by pinching his legs – leading the headteacher to check CCTV.
Jurors were told the footage showed Lecka also pinching his nose, body, wrist, and mouth.
Police trawled through a month’s worth of CCTV and discovered the babies had been “badly treated in some way”.
They also seized a pair of trainers Lecka had used to kicking a baby four times in the face and step on his shoulder.
In her evidence, Lecka told the court she would “smoke cannabis quite regularly with my boyfriend”.
She said: “At that time I was really addicted to vapes, I would smoke two little crystal disposables a day.
“I was vaping at the nursery because without smoking, I felt agitated and frustrated. I couldn’t constantly ask for bathroom breaks. I’d seize any chance I could. It made me really moody and fed up,” the individual explained.
‘It would be a couple of puffs and then I’d put it away… I would put it in my bra.”
She also told the court how she was “so tired” at the time and was not getting any sleep.
Lecka claimed she was “addicted” to her boyfriend so was “over-prioritising” him.
Her lawyer also claimed she was “worn out, had bad period pains, was short of energy, she was not her normally bubbly self”.
But prosecutor Tracy Ayling KC told jurors that smoking cannabis and not being able to vape were “excuses” for the alleged offences.
She added: “It is clear her actions are deliberate or at the very last careless, but on most occasions we say deliberate.
“There are, of course, some clips where Ms Lecka – as we put it – keeps going back for more.”
Lecka was taken into custody on July 5 of the previous year and stated in a prepared response: “I refute any allegations of assault against children at the Riverside Nursery… I went to work that day and it was a normal day without any incidents where a child appeared injured.
“We have procedures for the handling of the children, which I adhered to. I am unaware how any injury to these children were caused.”
Lecka admitted two charges of child cruelty but denies 21 further offences.
She was remanded into custody to be sentenced at a later date.
Gemma Burns of the Crown Prosecution Service said: “Lecka repeatedly showed exceptional cruelty in her appalling treatment of these babies. No parent should have to fear leaving their child in the care of professionals, but the sheer scale of her abuse is staggering.
“The CPS put forward compelling evidence that clearly showed her targeting children when colleagues were either out of the room, or had their backs turned.
“We also called on experts to prove that the injuries Lecka’s victims sustained were consistent with pinch marks.
‘Lecka was placed in a position of trust and her job required her to provide safety and protection. Instead, she kicked, scratched, and pinched these young children, with this vile abuse of vulnerable victims continuing for many months.”
