Montessori Nursery Worker Repeatedly Kicked Toddler In Face

Kicks: Roksana Lecka

The trial of a Montessori nursery worker watched shocking CCTV footage of her flicking her foot into the face of the boy she was caring for.

Roksana Łęcka, 22, was employed at the Riverside Nursery, Twickenham Green, where she is accused of repeatedly pinching, punching and grabbing the youngsters.

While lying on a mattress in the Sleep Room the little boy is at the feet of Lecka, who is standing over him, wearing a pair of sneakers later seized by police.

“She kicks him four times to the face and then steps on his shoulder, causing him to cry and then kicks him in the face agin,” explained prosecutor Tracy Ayling.

As the footage was played gasps and sobs could be heard from the packed public gallery.

CCTV footage of another incident with the same boy was played as the prosecutor outlined: “She approaches him and he backs away and as this defendant grabs his hand he drops to the floor crying.

“She pinches him to the mouth and nose and right arm and touches him to the face, causing him to cry. She pinches the right side of his torso and his right arm, nose and stomach and then gets up and leaves.”

The jury were played further footage of Lecka carrying a girl and then a boy in and out of the Sleep Room.

“The point is to show you the surreptitious nature of what was going on. She will hit the children in the doorway to the Sleep Room.”

The footage shows Lecka out of sight of her colleagues and the little girl’s head rock back twice as the defendant apparently strikes her.

There is a similar incident with the boy toddler as Lecka removes him from a cot and exits the Sleep Room.

The jury spent a great deal of time observing the CCTV footage, which captured another incident in the Sleep Room of Lecka engaged with a little boy.

“She kicks the mattress towards him and he falls over,” explained Ms Ayling. “She then pulls him onto the mattress face first.

“The defendant pinches him to the arm and he begins to cry and she pinches him to the chest and then again to the chest and again.”

The CCTV shows Lecka then exhaling her vape in the boy’s direction.

Extensive footage was played of Lecka sitting next to a little boy at a table with other children, with the prosecution saying she is constantly pinching him all over his body, making him cry.

“She pinches his right arm, then under his elbow then to his left side. She pinches his stomach and he bursts into tears and then she looks around and pinches him twice in the back.

“She appears to kiss him and pinch his cheek, causing him to flinch and pinches his left leg twice.”

Lecka has pleaded not guilty at Kingston-upon-Thames Crown Court to twenty-two counts of child cruelty, but has admitted two identical charges, relating to a boy and a girl.

Lecka, of Avro Place, Hounslow was eventually sent home on June 28, last year after fellow-staff became alarmed by her behaviour and police charged her after analysing months of internal CCTV.

The trial continues.....