A woman has been handed a seven-and-a-half-year prison sentence for committing heinous child sex abuse crimes. Nichole Pratt, 25, from Foster Crescent, Leominster, admitted to causing or inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity and two counts of sexual assault of a child under 13.
She also received a sexual harm prevention order.
Pratt faced Hereford Crown Court earlier this week (Tuesday 4 March) and will be subject to a five-year licence upon her release. Charged in August 2024, she entered a guilty plea for the offences in September 2024.
The vile acts came to light after police were tipped off anonymously about Pratt’s abuse of two children, which she had filmed. Upon arrest, authorities seized her phone and a USB stick, uncovering category A videos of Pratt abusing one child and additional footage on her phone of abuse against another child.
Initially denying the accusations during her interview under caution, Pratt ultimately confessed guilt at her plea and trial preparation hearing on 16 September 2024, reports the Mirror.
Angela Trafford from the Crown Prosecution Service commented on the case: “This was a truly harrowing and disturbing case. Nichole Pratt systematically abused two vulnerable young children in what can only be described as the most serious form of sexual abuse.
“The children concerned put their trust in Pratt. By her actions she has shown a flagrant disregard for that trust for her own gratification.
“The sentence handed down will hopefully act as a deterrent and send a message to the public that such cases are taken extremely seriously by the police, Crown Prosecution Service and ultimately the court.
Detective Inspector Julie Taylor, of Hereford’s Protecting Vulnerable People (PVP) team, said: “This was a particularly harrowing case which was disturbing for our officers to deal with, but we are pleased to see this custodial sentence for Pratt which recognises the seriousness of her vile behaviour.
“I would like to thank the whole PVP team and our digital forensics team for their efforts in achieving justice for the victims in this case and for their resilience in securing this result at court today.”
