Yorkshire woman, 21, who sexually abused young boy and shared images for payment jailed

Emily Hedigan, 21, pleaded guilty to eight offences when she appeared at Leeds Crown Court on February 29.

She was convicted of offences of causing or inciting a boy under 13 to engage in sexual activity, sexual touching of a boy aged under 13, taking, making and distributing indecent images of a child, and possession of cocaine.

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Police were alerted on January 29 this year after a person obtained Hedigan’s mobile phone and found images of the boy on it.

She was arrested and her phone was examined by expert digital forensic investigators who recovered video and still images of her sexually abusing the child on a number of occasions.

Further work by digital media investigators established that Hedigan had been sending the images to a man elsewhere in the country in exchange for money.

Hedigan, of Broadlea Grove, Bramley, admitted the offences when interviewed but claimed she had been providing the images under duress.

She was sentenced to a total of four years and eight months imprisonment at Leeds Crown Court on Thursday April 25.

She will remain on the Sex Offenders Register for life and was also given a lifetime Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Detective Inspector Amy Spaven, of Leeds District Safeguarding Unit, said: “Hedigan was responsible for a sustained pattern of sexual abuse against this vulnerable young boy and shared images of that abuse for financial gain.

“Her actions will have had a significant traumatic impact on the victim that is likely to affect him for the rest of his life.

“We hope that seeing her held accountable and sent to prison will provide some reassurance.

“We always treat sexual offences of this nature very seriously and have specialist safeguarding officers who will support victims and their families throughout their investigations and the court process and do everything they can to get justice for them.”