JOANNE MCGREGGOR

WOMAN FOUND WITH SEXUAL IMAGES OF CHILDREN AS YOUNG AS TWO

A woman was found in possession of indecent images of children as young as two-years-old in sexualised chats with perverts online in which she pretended to be a child, a court heard.

She was also found in possession of bestiality images when police examined her phone.

Joanne McGreggor, 46, was visited by police at her home in Cardiff on December 12.

A search was carried out and the defendant's devices were seized and examined.

Don’t miss a court report by signing up to our crime newsletter here.

A sentencing hearing at Newport Crown Court on Friday heard McGreggor was found in possession of 31 category A images, 38 category B images, 73 category C images and 171 extreme images, which had been downloaded between March 2022 and September 2024.

The indecent images depicted children aged between two and 16-years-old being sexually abused, while the extreme images depicted bestiality.

During her police interview, McGreggor told officers she accessed the images out of "boredom and curiosity", but claimed she was not sexually attracted to children.

She said she enjoyed "role playing" as a 13-year-old girl and sent indecent images of children to others while pretending to be a child.

There was also a browsing history and chat logs which referred to child abuse, incest and bestiality.

McGreggor, of Verallo Drive, Canton, later pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images and possession of extreme images.

The court heard she is of previous good character.

In mitigation, Owen Williams said his client had experienced "childhood trauma" and needs help "for whatever has led to her behaving in this way".

He said the defendant holds down a full time job and is able to carry out unpaid work.

Sentencing, Judge Daniel Williams said: "You visited dating sites to engage in sexual communications with the intention of finding like-minded individuals.

"Behind each of these images is a real child and real sexual abuse, whose agony would be greater if they knew the abuse was published for the benefit of the sexual gratification of others." McGreggor was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment, a term which is suspended for 18 months.

She was ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work, complete a rehabilitation activity requirement for 15 days, and made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and sex offender notification requirements for 10 years.