British mother, 40, who sent explicit pictures and sexts to a boy, 15, and then dismissed it as 'banter' is jailed for two years  



A mother who exchanged explicit pictures with a 15-year-old boy because she was 'flattered' by the attention has been jailed for two years.

Claire Dinsdale, 40, from Willington, County Durham, sent 'sexually charged' messages to the teenager, which she dismissed as 'banter' when questioned by police.

Despite being handed a court order last year that prohibited her from contacting him, she continued to exchange messages with the boy until April this year.

Dinsdale pleaded guilty to charges of abducting a child, inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and making an indecent photograph of a child at Teesside Crown Court.

The prosecution said they were unable to prove any sexual activity took place between them, with the victim refusing to provide a statement.  

Dinsdale and the boy met a few years ago and began to keep in contact on Facebook.

After concern from the boy's father, Dinsdale was handed a 'harbouring notice' last year prohibiting her from contacting the boy. Despite this, the pair continued to exchange 'sexually charged' messages. The court heard they also exchanged explicit pictures.

Police also found the boy at her property on three occasions while trying to locate him.

The inappropriate relationship carried on until April this year when Dinsdale was remanded in custody for being in breach of her bail conditions, which stated she was to stay away from her victim.

Jo Kidd, prosecuting, said: 'The messages indicated [the boy] repeatedly asking for sexual activity. 'Her responses indicate that it would be the order of the day. He messaged her saying "I want a sh*g when I come round" to which she replied "yes". '

Judge Phillips remarked that there was 'no discouragement whatsoever' from the defendant.

In a victim impact statement from the boy's father, he said that he believes his son's behaviour has significantly deteriorated as a result of his contact with Dinsdale.

Dan Cordey, defending, told the court that after the breakdown of an eight year 'controlling and abusive' relationship, Dinsdale had found herself to have low self-esteem and no self confidence.

He said: 'I hope to point out that this is a naive woman who after a very difficult time in her life, was flattered by the attention of this young man.

'She fully recognises now that she should have not been flattered by that. She realises it was entirely inappropriate.'

He stressed that no sexual activity ever took place.

He also told the court that Dinsdale has found being remanded in custody for the last six months incredibly difficult as other inmates treat her 'like a sex offender' and want nothing to do with her.

He added: 'This was not a very young boy. He was relatively mature for his years. 'One just has to look at some of his language in the messages to get an indication of his level of maturity.'

Two charges of causing a child to watch a sexual act and meeting a child following sexual grooming were dropped by the prosecution.

Judge Phillips told Dinsdale: 'It is not realistic to say that sexual activity was not something you thought about.

'The most concerning feature of this case is the boy's age. You had more than two months of sexual communication despite knowing his age. 'You have taken advantage of his vulnerability and done so in a persistent manner.

'The totality of the affect is that it has had a very negative effect on him and his family.'

SOURCE