Parents and specialist lawyers have spoken out after a nursery worker from west London was jailed for eight years for the ill-treatment of more than 20 children, including those at a nursery in Twickenham Green.

Roksana Lecka, 22, from Hounslow, was sentenced after being found guilty of multiple offences of wilfully assaulting or ill-treating children while working at Riverside Nursery in Twickenham Green and another setting.

Eighteen families with children enrolled at Riverside Nursery instructed lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to seek answers and compensation following the discovery of Lecka's abuse.

Jemma Till, the Irwin Mitchell lawyer representing families, said: "Those parents we're supporting remain devastated by the ordeal their children have been put through by Lecka.

"She abused her position of trust in the cruellest way over a number of months.

"We welcome today's sentence and hope it acts as a warning that perpetrators of such abuse will be caught and punished. However, serious questions remain as to how Lecka's abuse was allowed to go unchecked for several months. Our focus now is on securing the further answers families deserve."

One family, whose child was assaulted by Lecka, commented: "The last year or so and trying to come to terms with what our child suffered has been incredibly difficult.

"We've been on a rollercoaster of emotions and feel hurt and angered by what our child endured.

"Whilst we're relieved Lecka has been stopped and dealt with by the courts, the effects of what happened still impact on our family.

"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.

"Our main focus now is on supporting our child and trying to put this sad chapter behind us. However, we feel lessons need to be learned so that others don't go through what we have."

Lecka was charged with 24 counts relating to a total of 23 children at Riverside Nursery and one child at another nursery.

She pleaded guilty to seven offences before trial. After a month-long hearing at Kingston Crown Court in June, she was convicted of 14 further counts and acquitted of three.

Lecka was handed an eight year prison sentence.

READ MORE: Former Twickenham nursery worker who 'punched and kicked' children jailed for abuses.

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