Overview
- Roksana Lecka was convicted at crown court of 21 counts of child cruelty and was sentenced to eight years in prison after CCTV showed repeated physical abuse of infants.
- The UK removed Lecka under its Early Removal Scheme and she returned to Poland in February 2026, after about 14 months in UK custody.
- Polish Border Guard officials say her arrival did not use formal prisoner‑transfer procedures and that she was not entered into criminal or international alert databases, so they processed her as a routine arrival and could not lawfully detain her.
- UK ministers say they informed Polish authorities of the convictions, but Polish officials dispute receiving formal documentation, creating a direct conflict over what cross‑border steps were taken.
- Victims' families and some MPs warn the case leaves children at risk because Polish authorities cannot currently track or warn childcare providers, and it has prompted calls to review how the UK shares prison‑transfer paperwork and database entries with other states.