London - A judge has told a female paedophile there must be "no more licking" of girls’ faces after she was found guilty of sending thousands of explicit messages to a "vulnerable" 14-year-old.
Natalie Cummins, 45, used WhatsApp and Snapchat to talk intimately to the underage girl, Truro Crown Court heard, and even told her: "I’m just trying not to be a total paedo."
Her husband of 15 years sat in the public gallery as details were revealed of how her sordid relationship with the girl developed after they met in 2017.
Devon and Cornwall Police were alerted to the messages by a friend of the victim – who was described as "vulnerable" and had admitted self-harming – after she found them when using her phone.
Philip Lee, prosecuting, said: "[The girl] told the defendant she was troubled and anxious. The defendant offered support and advice. The defendant became sexually attracted to [the girl] and expressed this unambiguously. There was no doubt the defendant wanted to encourage her to feel the same way towards her. She wanted to encourage a sexual relationship – if not now, then at some point in the future."
One message from Cummins, of Boscastle, Cornwall, stated: 'You know exactly where to touch me and for how long."
The victim later said: "You should be in my bed," to which the defendant responded: "You definitely wouldn’t be getting your assignment done if I was."
Cummins, who runs a local business, later wrote: "I’m just trying not to be a total paedo," followed by a laughing emoji.
While Cummins denied kissing the girl – who cannot be named for legal reasons – she did admit to licking her face. She was found guilty of sexual communication with a child for her own sexual gratification.
Lee Brembridge, defending, said Cummins "always accepted the messages were messages she should not have sent".
Recorder Jane Rowley sentenced her to a 12-month community order, and told her: "No more licking, Mrs Cummins. It’s a quite bizarre aspect of this case and you have to rein in your banter and sexual innuendo."
Cummins was banned from contacting the girl for two years and must sign the sex offenders register for five years.