Second worker at nursery where baby died jailed

A nursery worker has been jailed for three years for "deplorable" ill-treatment of babies in her care.

Rebecca Gregory was caught verbally abusing and threatening to kick the infants of less than a year old at Tiny Toes in Cheadle Hulme, Stockport.

The 25-year-old, of Pearl Street in Stockport, who pleaded guilty at Manchester Crown Court to four counts of wilfully ill-treating children, is the second worker from the nursery to be jailed.

In May, 37-year-old Kate Roughley was jailed for the manslaughter of nine-month-old Genevieve Meehan at the nursery.

Evidence of Gregory's crimes came to light during another investigation.

CCTV footage recorded on 26 April 2022 contained evidence of Gregory being heavy-handed with a baby that was crying and struggling in a blanket in which the child had been swaddled too tightly.

She was heard to say to the child: "You want me to knock you out?"

Later that morning she swaddled a second crying child and pushed them over after saying: "I’m actually going to kick him in a minute."

She also placed the same child in a cot too heavily on the same day, the CPS said.

The footage showed Gregory placing a third swaddled baby in a cot roughly and told them to "shut up", the CPS said.

The CPS said she then pushed that child over.

The fourth child was forcefully put into a highchair before she put a dummy into their mouth saying: "Put that in your gob and shut up."

The CPS said none of the children suffered any visible injuries as a result of Gregory’s actions.

Karen Tongue, of the CPS, said: "Rebecca Gregory was entrusted with the care of the youngest children in the nursery.

"The CCTV footage from the nursery’s baby room showed several instances of Gregory ill-treating four young children in her care.

"The way she spoke to them was truly appalling."

Det Con Natalie Pettit said: "Anyone who hears the details of this investigation cannot fail to be sickened by the careless actions of Rebecca Gregory.

"This was a harrowing investigation which uncovered several unacceptable behaviours and practices at Tiny Toes Nursery.

"It was clear to see there was a culture of not challenging inappropriate behaviour which ultimately placed several children who were under their care at risk of serious harm."

Tiny Toes was closed down in 2022 shortly after the investigation into the death of Genevieve Meehan was launched.

Her killer, Kate Roughley, was jailed for 14 years for manslaughter following a trial, in which a jury heard that she had swaddled the child tightly and strapped her face down to a beanbag.

Genevieve lost consciousness and suffocated.

The building still houses a nursery, but it is owned and managed by a different company.