Locations
Datchworth Turn, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, HP2
Description
A 20-year-old woman who worked at a children's nursery has been sentenced to four years in prison after admitting a series of online child sex offences.
Zara Lancashire, of Datchworth Turn, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, was jailed on Thursday at St Albans Crown Court. She had pleaded guilty to 11 offences, including making and distributing indecent images of children and publishing obscene articles.
Lancashire, employed at Flower Pots Day Nursery in Kings Langley, Hertfordshire, was not charged with any offences involving children in her care.
Judge Lana Wood described Lancashire as "actively involved" in a "network" of people sharing indecent images.
The Crown Prosecution Service noted that "making" an image includes opening an email attachment or downloading a website image.
Appearing via video link from HMP Peterborough, Lancashire wore her brown hair in pigtails, one tied with a pink ribbon and one with a blue.
Judge Wood also imposed a 30-year sexual harm prevention order.
Prosecutor Harry Laidlaw said Lancashire was arrested in September after a man she contacted online was detained.
He stated she distributed category A images—the most serious—four times, including one depicting a child under two being sexually abused.
She communicated with users like "Mr Bad" and "Pervert," and possessed over 150 images, 113 of which were category A.
Laidlaw added that Lancashire claimed in messages to have abused children in her care but faced no related charges. Having received safeguarding training, she was "more aware than the normal person of abuse—she was more aware of safeguarding."
The court heard her parents separated when she was nine, leading to a "difficult" relationship with her mother.
Defense barrister Madeleine Wolfe said Lancashire reacted to online attention: "This was a relatively young, naive girl who got herself in a situation." Her messages were "disgraceful," but "despite her working with young people, there were no contact offences."
Judge Wood cited Lancashire's issues with "impulse control" and "sexual preoccupation," deeming her "dangerous" with "a significant risk that you will commit further... offences."
She told Lancashire: "You claimed to have abused children in your care. Fortunately it appears that those assertions had no truth behind them."
Det Insp Fay Tooley of Hertfordshire Police 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 children, they are still of an extremely serious nature."