Top News

A female nursery worker has been jailed after boasting she would abuse her own kids if she had them. Zara Lancashire, 20, also shared sick child images online and claimed she had sexually assaulted children in her care.

The 20-year-old, of Datchworth Turn, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, worked at Flower Pots Day Nursery in Kings Langley. Although she was not charged with any offences relating to children in her care, Lancashire admitted 11 charges of distributing child sexual abuse material. She was jailed for four years at St Albans Crown Court on Thursday (March 5).

As reported by The Sun, Lancashire was arrested at the nursery last September after police found a video, which involved a two-year-old child, she sent to another man who went by the name "Pervert". He had also shared indecent images and messaged with Lancashire, who used the handle "Bubble Penguin", on the messaging app Telegram.

Lancashire also sent indecent material under the name "Lil S*** on a second platform. She told other users, who went by names including "Mr Bad", that she wanted them to abuse her own future children, adding she was aroused by the children she cared for at the nursery.

Harry Laidlaw, prosecuting, said: "She was more aware than the normal person of abuse, she was more aware of safeguarding, and more aware of the consequences of such actions." He said Lancashire had been in possession of over 150 images - 113 were category A.

Meanwhile, Madeleine Wolfe, defending, said Lancashire had no intentions of carrying out what she wrote in the messages. The 20-year-old admitted 11 charges of distributing child sexual abuse material, which included four counts of distributing indecent child images, three of making indecent images and four of publishing obscene articles.

Ensure our latest news headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or add us as Preferred Source in your Google search settings.

As well as being sentenced to four years in jail, Judge Lana Wood also imposed a 30-year sexual harm prevention order on Lancashire. Upon sentencing, she said: "The age and the vulnerability of the children depicted is an aggravating factor. An additional aggravating factor is that this collection included moving images.

"You appeared to be actively involved in a network which facilitated the sharing of indecent images of children. I take into account your young age, although there is no evidence you were particularly immature for your age."

Detective Inspector Fay Tooley, of Hertfordshire Constabulary's public protection command, said: "Lancashire has been brought to justice for the offences she committed and, while our investigation found they didn't involve the physical abuse of any children, they are still of an extremely serious nature."