A WOMAN who sent indecent images of children as young as nine or ten to a former partner in exchange for “sexual rewards” has avoided an immediate prison sentence.

Catherine Wicks, 45, was arrested after police executed a search warrant at her home in January 2018.

A number of devices were seized and 20 indecent images of children were found on her mobile phone.

Of the pictures, nine were of the most serious Category A, while six were at Category B and five were at Category C.

Ipswich Crown Court heard many of the images depicted young girls aged between around 13 and 15, while “a couple” of the Category A images depicted a child aged around nine or ten.

Wicks gave an extensive account in police interview, telling officers she had no sexual interest in the images she had downloaded.

David Baird, prosecuting, said: “In short she says she had been in a relationship with a man for around two and a half years at the time of her arrest.

“This particular relationship was one categorised by a ‘master/slave’ type scenario, where in short one of her roles was to send these sort of images to the man and she would be rewarded sexually.”

Wicks, of St Mary’s Road, Kelvedon, admitted three counts of making indecent images of children.

Mathew Dance, mitigating, said an author of a presentence report had concluded Wicks was not getting sexual gratification from the images.

He said the relationship with the male is now over and his client remained in a supportive relationship with her husband of 24 years.

He also highlighted his client’s extensive mental health problems and said she had lost her job as a result of her offending.

Mr Dance said Wicks, who has no previous convictions, had not committed any further offences in the three and a half years since her arrest.

She was sentenced to six months imprisonment, suspended for 18 months.

Wicks must complete a 50-day rehabilitation activity requirement.