Woman found with indecent pictures of children had 'willingly' helped perverted sex offender with his 'paedophiliac fantasies', court hears

A woman who was found with indecent images of children had 'willingly' helped a perverted sex offender with his 'paedophiliac fantasies', a court has heard. 

Toni Andrews, 23, 'bombarded' the man with sexual messages because she was 'besotted' with him and allowed herself to be dragged into his 'paedophilic fantasies' involving children, Hull Crown Court Heard. 

Michael Forrest, prosecuting, told the court that the National Crime Agency received information in April 2021 that an internet user had uploaded indecent images of children. 

The man was arrested and a number of devices were seized from him. 

He later admitted sexual offences and possessing indecent images, and was jailed for two years in 2021. Andrews was subsequently arrested in connection with the case in December 2021, and it was discovered that she had indecent images involving children. 

Andrews, who had no previous convictions, had 29 indecent images in the most serious Category A, nine in Category B and 35 in Category C. She also had 435 prohibited images of children, and 190 extreme pornographic images, as well as five other indecent images. 

The court heard that she had been 'willingly engaging' in the man's fantasies, that they had exchanged highly sexualised messages, and that she kept diaries in two separate notebooks. 

Andrews claimed she had been put under pressure by the man to commit the offences, and that she was 'besotted' with him. 

Rachel Scott, mitigating, told the court: 'She understands and appreciates the situation that she finds herself in.

'She understands the effect that her offending has had. She has committed no further offences in the last two years since these offences were committed.

'There is no excuse for this sort of behaviour and she understands that. She never wants to put herself in this position again.'

She added that Andrews had pleaded guilty at an early stage. 

Andrews, of Hull, admitted three offences of possessing indecent photographs of a child, two other offences involving indecent photographs of a child and other offences of possessing prohibited images of children and possessing extreme images of pornography.  

Judge Mark Bury told Andrews she 'encouraged' the man and was 'aware' of his sexual interests in children. 

'You knew exactly what was happening here,' he told her. 'You were willing to do that and did it voluntarily.

'I am satisfied that you, as a person, do not have a sexual interest in children. You went along with the events that you carried out.

'You should have known that there was a line that you must not cross. I would be failing in my duty if I did not punish you for this offending and I think, deep down, you understand that.'

Andrews was jailed for 16 months and will have to register as a sex offender for 10 years.