Mother who plotted to let paedophile rape her seven-year-old daughter is jailed for nine years

Woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, sent naked picture of girl to Stuart Bailey

Stuart Bailey was 'prolific' at contacting women via Plenty Of Fish and suggesting sexual acts with their children (South Wales Police)

A mother who agreed to let a paedophile rape her seven-year-old daughter has been jailed for nine years.

The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, exchanged a series of “depraved” messages with Stuart Bailey, Cardiff Crown Court heard.

She also sent him a naked picture of the youngster in the bath and tested the sleeping pill, melatonin, on the girl.

“This case demonstrated a gross breach of trust on behalf of a parent,” said senior crown prosecutor Gemma Vincent. "Fortunately, the matter came to the attention of the police before the sickening acts described in the texts could be carried out."

The court heard the pair met online, before Bailey, who was “prolific” at contacting women via website Plenty Of Fish, quickly turned to talking about “perverted and unlawful” sexual activity.

"The discussion, unless cut short by the women, would then escalate to you encouraging them to (engage in) sexual activity with children,” said Ms Vincent.

Police were alerted to the case by the mother's partner after he found the messages.

Both the woman and Bailey claimed they never intended on carrying out the abuse.

But the mother, who was described as “vulnerable and gullible” by Judge Eleri Rees, had asked Bailey what she would get out of letting him rape her daughter, the court heard.

He had then mentioned sums of between £200 and £300.

Mr Bailey's barrister, Lucy Crowther, said her client was “totally ashamed of his behaviour and his actions, which he acknowledges will affect his grown-up children and his partner, who is currently standing by him”.

Alex Greenwood, defending the mother, said social services had identified her as a “vulnerable” person at risk of being manipulated by men.

He added that she had been “bullied, cajoled and blackmailed” by Bailey.

Bailey was jailed for 13 years after being found guilty of conspiracy to rape a girl aged under 13 after a trial in December.

The 54-year-old, of Rhydyfelin, Pontypridd, South Wales, was also convicted of encouraging the distribution of indecent photographs of a child and encouraging the sexual assault of a child by another woman.

At an earlier hearing, the woman, also found guilty of conspiracy to rape, admitted distributing five indecent images of a child and Bailey admitted possessing those images.

Both defendants were made the subject of sexual harm prevention orders and given one year of additional licence to serve.