Locations
Oldham, Greater Manchester
Description
A woman sent child abuse images to her boyfriend - because she wanted to keep their 'relationship alive'.
Perverted couple Rachael Larkman, 38, and Steven Kearsley, 35, started dating in 2013 after meeting on the website Flirtomatic.
They were described as friends with benefits.
But their relationship took a sinister twist when Kearsley began asking her for indecent images of children.
Kearsley later became quite obsessed with the idea of chatting online to children, and officers later found he had been sending messages to a child.
Larkman pleaded guilty to distributing indecent photos of a child, the M.E.N reports.
Kearsley was convicted of encouraging or assisting the commission of an offence believing it would be committed, namely requesting indecent images of children; and engaging in sexual communication with a child following a trial.
At an earlier hearing at Minshull Crown Court, prosecutor Robert Smith said: "He asked Rachael Larkman for topless photos of herself, which she did but then asked her whether she was interested in pornography.
"Rachel accepted that she had sent him eight to ten photographs."
The pair were arrested after police were made aware of the images and explicit messages.
Their phones were examined and revealed a number of sinister message exchanges.
In one exchange, Kearsley said: You got any pervy pics?
In another he said: You can send any - even nudes I wouldnt run.
She later said: Lol having fun?
Kearsley replied: Child abuse is always fun x.
The prosecutor said Kearsleys requests for the images were constant and arose from his sexual interest in children.
Following an investigation launched by the police, Kearsley also was found to be sending inappropriate messages to a child.
Both were said to have no previous convictions.
Mitigating for Larkman, Richard Simons said: She is considered to be a vulnerable adult and partner in the context of intimate relationships.
The psychiatric report concludes that she suffers from Battered Wife Syndrome and PTSD.
This offending behaviour happened over three years ago and she made immediate admissions.
She is deeply remorseful.
In mitigation for Kearsley, Vanessa Thomson said: His pre-sentence report doesnt make for positive reading on his behalf.
He still denies the offences.
The pre-sentence report suggests a community alternative, where he will be challenged face-to-face on a weekly basis about what he thinks is right and not right.
It will be intensely challenging to him.
That will not be available to him in a prison environment.
She added that her client suffered from ongoing complications from a broken back, which affected his work as an actor in the acting industry.
Sentencing Larkman, Recorder Anna Vigars QC said: These offences took place... to keep your own sexual relationship alive.
But, you have a difficult and traumatic background, and you have demonstrated very significant remorse.
Sentencing Kearsley, she said: Your request was made in the context of a perverted sexual fantasy.
I have read the pre-sentence report, and it is a troubling report.
I see no recognition you had done anything wrong and you sought rather to pass blame to Larkman.
Larkman, of Oldham, was handed an 18-month sentence, suspended for two years; 30 days of rehabilitation activity requirements; and a three-month electronically monitored curfew between 8pm and 6am.
Kearsley, also of Oldham, was jailed for a year.
Both were ordered to sign the sex offender register for a decade. Kearsley was also made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for 10 years.