A woman who plied a vulnerable 13-year-old boy with cider and had sex
with him three times in an attempt to get pregnant has been spared
jail.
Hannah Cox, 29, told police her abusive partner told her to sleep with the boy, who had learning difficulties and ADHD, in the hope she would conceive a child.
Cox, who had learning difficulties and an IQ of 70, was under the control of an abusive partner when she committed the offences between October and November 2013.
Jenny Talentine, prosecuting, said the couple targeted the vulnerable boy, inviting him into their home and giving him cider before Cox slept with him three times.
Some months afterward, Cox admitted what she had done to a friend. The news filtered back to the boy's mother, who reported it to the police.
Hannah Cox, 29, told police her abusive partner told her to sleep with the boy, who had learning difficulties and ADHD, in the hope she would conceive a child.
Cox, who had learning difficulties and an IQ of 70, was under the control of an abusive partner when she committed the offences between October and November 2013.
Jenny Talentine, prosecuting, said the couple targeted the vulnerable boy, inviting him into their home and giving him cider before Cox slept with him three times.
Some months afterward, Cox admitted what she had done to a friend. The news filtered back to the boy's mother, who reported it to the police.
When arrested, Cox said: "I know it's about me having sex with a 13-year-old. I know I shouldn't have done it."
She told the police she had been trying to get pregnant and it had been her partner who told her to sleep with the boy.
Rebecca Bradberry, defending, told Taunton Crown Court Cox had a number of physical and mental disabilities and had been in an abusive relationship, under the control of her partner.
She said: "This is a most unusual defendant and this offence is unusual in the circumstances. She fully accepts responsibility for what she has done. She wants to move forward.
"All I can ask is a plea of mercy and a suspended sentence for my client. There are grave concerns for her vulnerabilities if she were sent to prison."
Sentencing Cox, Judge David Ticehurst said they were very serious offences but "justice should be tempered by mercy".
He said: "There is no doubt this young boy and his family are suffering the consequences of your behaviour.
"You should have known better and he was a particularly vulnerable child. But I intend to depart from the guidelines in this case.
"You have considerable physical and mental difficulties and I am satisfied you were under the control and influence of your partner at the time of the offences.
"I do not consider that the public needs protection from you. In fact, if there had been more support for you, I do not believe these offences would have been committed at all.
"Judges are allowed to temper justice with mercy and this is what I'm going to do in this case."
He sentenced Cox, of Wellington, Somerset, to two years in prison, suspended for two years, and ordered her to sign the sexual offenders' register for 10 years.
She told the police she had been trying to get pregnant and it had been her partner who told her to sleep with the boy.
Rebecca Bradberry, defending, told Taunton Crown Court Cox had a number of physical and mental disabilities and had been in an abusive relationship, under the control of her partner.
She said: "This is a most unusual defendant and this offence is unusual in the circumstances. She fully accepts responsibility for what she has done. She wants to move forward.
"All I can ask is a plea of mercy and a suspended sentence for my client. There are grave concerns for her vulnerabilities if she were sent to prison."
Sentencing Cox, Judge David Ticehurst said they were very serious offences but "justice should be tempered by mercy".
He said: "There is no doubt this young boy and his family are suffering the consequences of your behaviour.
"You should have known better and he was a particularly vulnerable child. But I intend to depart from the guidelines in this case.
"You have considerable physical and mental difficulties and I am satisfied you were under the control and influence of your partner at the time of the offences.
"I do not consider that the public needs protection from you. In fact, if there had been more support for you, I do not believe these offences would have been committed at all.
"Judges are allowed to temper justice with mercy and this is what I'm going to do in this case."
He sentenced Cox, of Wellington, Somerset, to two years in prison, suspended for two years, and ordered her to sign the sexual offenders' register for 10 years.
Woman tried to get pregnant by drugging 13 year old boy with booze and having sex with him three times
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