A worker at a nursery where a baby girl died has been jailed after he was caught on CCTV ‘threatening to kick’ one baby and ‘slamming’ another to the ground.
Rebecca Gregory admitted neglect of four children, which occurred on April 26, 2022. Her ‘abusive’ treatment of the little ones was revealed when police reviewed CCTV footage from the care centre following the tragic death of another baby girl.
The court heard the 25-year-old, of Pearl Street, Hazel Grove, started working at Tiny Toes nursery in Cheadle Hulme about seven years ago. It is the same nursery where nine-month-old Genevieve Meehan died in May 2022.
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Kate Roughley was sentenced to 14 years in prison after being convicted of manslaughter in May this year. At Minshull Street Crown Court on Monday (September 2), Gregory cried in the dock, clutching a handkerchief, as details emerged of his crimes against four young people, which were unrelated to Genevieve’s death.
He swaddled four ‘defenceless’ victims, left one child face down with a dummy in her mouth and ‘threatened to kick’ another.
Prosecutor Tom Challinor said Gregory was seen abusing the children and CCTV footage was being reviewed by officers investigating Genevieve’s death.
He said it showed four children were being handled in a “rough and aggressive” manner, with the children being placed in “compromisable positions” while being put to sleep. The victims cannot be identified for legal reasons.
Regarding the first victim, a girl, Mr Challinor said Gregory had ‘swaddled’ her in a blanket and then placed her face down on a mat, also using another blanket to cover her head. He said he was aware of the ‘inherent dangers’ of doing so because of his training.
For the next 30 minutes the little girl ‘did not calm down’, as seen in CCTV footage shown to the court. Gregory became ‘angry and angry’ and ‘threatened to knock the child to the ground’ before forcing her head back onto the cushion, the court heard.
Then, while the baby was still not sleeping, Gregory grabbed a corner of the blanket the baby was wrapped in and pulled, causing the tiny baby to ‘turn over’ and fall to the floor. The court was told a second child was also swaddled and placed face down in the kitchen area next to the nursery. CCTV footage of the incident was also shown to the court.
Mr Challinor said Gregory became ‘angry and agitated’ as she continued to cry and then ‘threatened to kick him’. He said she was then removed from the blanket and ‘thrown’ to the floor where she fell face down.
Gregory was later heard saying, “What the hell are you doing, kid?” after being put into the cot, before being “thrown” onto a mat and left “in despair”.
The court previously heard Gregory ‘slammed the child hard onto the ground’, causing an ‘audible thud’.
Mr Challinor told the court that as the third victim was being laid down to be swaddled, Gregory told him to ‘shut up’ before his head hit the floor.
The court heard Gregory then ‘took her to a bed’. The ‘abuse’ of the little boy continued into the afternoon, with the woman heard saying: “What’s the point of your existence?” as the baby cried.
As she was changing before being picked up at the end of the day, Gregory can be heard in the footage saying: “Put your arm through and go f***ing home.” The woman is seen ‘dumping’ him on the floor in the kitchen area.
As for the fourth baby, also a young boy, Gregory was ‘pulled roughly off the ground’ and ‘shaking his body’ before his mother ‘slammed’ him into a high chair and he began to cry, the court heard.
He wrapped her in a blanket again, stuffed a pacifier into her mouth and was heard saying, “Put that in your mouth and shut up.”
He then laid her face down on a mat and covered her face with a blanket. When she tried to lift her head, he ‘forced’ her head down before ‘leaning on the child with his thigh’, the court heard.
Later in the day, Gregory was caught carrying her from the changing area to a bed. As he laid her down, he was heard shouting: “Do me a favour and don’t wake up until I get home” and “What are you doing? Pick her up.”
Gregory was arrested at his home on November 14, 2023. In the face of evidence presented to him during his interview, he admitted his actions against the children, claiming that the daycare was understaffed.
He pleaded guilty to charges of intentionally assaulting, ill-treating, neglecting, abandoning or exposing a child in a manner likely to cause unnecessary suffering.
Miss Milena Bennett, defending, said Gregory’s behaviour was ‘out of character’. She claimed the nursery worker had complained about staffing levels but had been ‘turned down’. Her frustration had gotten the better of her and she had directed it at the children she was supposed to be looking after,” said Miss Bennett.
“It was out of character for him. He got so angry that when he watched the video himself, he said he couldn’t believe it was him. He didn’t recognize himself.”
Noting that the offences were all recorded on the same day, he added: “There is nothing to suggest that Ms Gregory exemplified this pattern of behaviour. She is extremely remorseful.”
The 25-year-old, who was 22 at the time of the incidents, was caring for her legally deaf and blind mother and autistic brother. Sentencing, Judge Tina Landale said: “You had seven years’ experience when you committed your offences. You were trusted to look after babies safely and gently by parents who left their precious children in your care.
“The offences against these four babies took place in the nursery where you worked for two years. Instead of treating them gently and safely, you abused and neglected them, exposing them to serious risk of harm.
“It’s clear you didn’t care about these babies. You persisted even when you didn’t think you were being observed. These babies were particularly vulnerable because they couldn’t communicate their distress.”
Gregory was sentenced to three years in prison. He must serve at least half of that behind bars and the rest on licence. He is banned from working with children or vulnerable people.
Detective Constable Natalie Pettit, of GMP’s Stockport area, said: “Anyone who has heard the details of this investigation cannot help but be disgusted by Rebecca Gregory’s reckless actions.
“He knew his actions were far beyond proper professional standards but failed to take reasonable steps to protect these children. This was a heartbreaking investigation which uncovered a range of unacceptable behaviour and practices at Tiny Toes Preschool.
“It was clear that a culture of failure to challenge inappropriate behaviour was putting many children in their care at serious risk of harm.
“We have worked closely with the Crown Prosecution Service to build a strong case and following a thorough investigation we are pleased that Gregory will now have to face the consequences of his actions.”
Tiny Toes Nursery had its licence suspended by Ofsted the day after Genevieve’s death. An inspection four months later found it had failed to meet legal requirements and the nursery’s owners relinquished its licence shortly afterwards. It is now run by a different firm.