REBECCA ROBINS AND LISA WYMER SHOCK NURSERY ABUSE IN HERTFORDSHIRE

In October 2010, a disturbing incident involving two nursery nurses, Rebecca Robins and Lisa Wymer, unfolded at a childcare facility in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire. Despite the severity of their actions, both women ultimately walked free from court after being convicted of cruelty, receiving suspended sentences that sparked widespread outrage and concern over child safety.

Robins, aged 21, and Wymer, aged 22, were caught on CCTV footage engaging in a malicious and humiliating attack on a two-year-old boy under their care. The footage, which was played during a trial at St Albans Crown Court, depicted the distressing scene where the young child was dragged across the nursery floor by his leg, with Wymer leading the assault. The video showed her laughing and joking as she directed other children to poke the boy and remove his shoes, further humiliating him. At one point, Wymer nudged the boy in the ribs with her foot and pulled down his trousers about two inches, exposing his underwear and the top of his legs.

The footage also captured Robins entering the room and pulling the child's trousers down further, while the boy clutched his head in distress and rubbed his eyes, clearly overwhelmed by the ordeal. Throughout the ten-minute episode, both women continued to mock and laugh at the boy, displaying a shocking lack of empathy and professionalism. The incident, which was described as 'spiteful' and 'humiliating,' left a lasting impact on the young child, who had previously enjoyed attending the nursery but was now reluctant to return and reportedly suffered nightmares afterward.

Following a week-long trial, the jury found both Robins and Wymer guilty of cruelty and wilful mistreatment of a child, charges that carry serious legal implications. Despite their convictions, the two women were sentenced to 16 weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months, meaning they would not serve time unless they committed further offenses within that period. Additionally, they were ordered to complete 100 hours of unpaid community service and placed under a six-month supervision order. Judge Martin Griffiths emphasized the gravity of their misconduct, stating that their actions had caused the child to develop fears and nightmares, and criticizing their failure to uphold the trust placed in them by the child's parents.

Both women had been dismissed from their positions at the privately-run nursery following the incident, which occurred on December 17 of the previous year. They denied the charges of cruelty, claiming that the child was not distressed and that witnesses might have exaggerated or misinterpreted the events. However, the child's mother testified that her son had become clingy and withdrawn after the incident and was reluctant to return to the nursery, indicating the emotional damage inflicted.

Legal representatives for Wymer and Robins argued that their clients' behavior was a moment of poor judgment and childish horseplay, not indicative of their usual conduct. Mitigating for Wymer, lawyer Franco Tizzano, stated she had to close her Facebook account due to online threats and expressed her deep shame over the incident. For Robins, attorney Maria Karaiskos highlighted her client's long-standing career as a nursery nurse since age 16 and stressed that this was an isolated, impulsive act that was entirely out of character. Both women were convicted of causing unnecessary suffering and injury to the child, as well as cruelty to a person under 16.

In accordance with legal restrictions, a court order was issued to prevent the publication of the child's identity or the CCTV footage. Detective Constable Liz Carey of the Hertfordshire Child Abuse Investigation Unit commented on the case, expressing hope that the sentencing would help the child's family move forward. She praised the nursery's staff for their prompt reporting and the procedures in place that facilitated the successful prosecution. Carey reaffirmed the police's commitment to investigating all reports of child neglect, abuse, or cruelty with utmost seriousness, emphasizing the importance of safeguarding children and holding perpetrators accountable.