Kelsey Brookes: Rotherham woman sobs as she is sentenced for sex offences against 'vulnerable' boy

Jailing 25-year-old Kelsey Brookes for three separate sex offences carried out against the boy, Judge David Dixon told her: “You made explicit requests to, in effect, have sex with a child. You sent him videos of yourself…and you sent pictures of yourself in the shower, fully naked.”

Sheffield Crown Court heard how the boy, who was described as being ‘very vulnerable’, was 15-years-old at the time of the offences. He is entitled to lifelong anonymity, and cannot be named. 

“A boy with the mental capability of an 11-year-old was being asked to have sex with an adult, who was sending graphic images of her pleasuring herself,” Judge Dixon said, adding: “His ability to comprehend adult emotions is greatly restricted.”

Between November 30, 2022 and March 18, 2023, Brookes contacted the boy’s phone 1,413 times, while he contacted her 2,467 times, prosecutor Gurdial Singh told a hearing held on August 14, 2024. 

Mr Singh said a number of the messages were sexually graphic in nature, and outlined what the pair wanted to do to each other. 

A picture of the boy’s genitals, which he sent to Brookes, was retained on her phone, the court heard. 

Judge Dixon said he was obliged to sentence Brookes for the offence of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity on the basis there was ‘no sexual activity’ carried out between the pair - with her offending limited to what was uncovered in her phone communication with the boy. 

He told the court, however, that he has ‘doubts about that,’ given the sexual explicit nature of their communication. 

Judge Dixon added: “It seems to me, but for others becoming involved…sexual activity would have taken place.” 

Brookes’ offending was brought to light after the contents of her phone were downloaded, and she was subsequently charged with one offence of causing or inciting a boy aged 13 to 15 to engage in sexual activity; one offence of engaging in sexual activity with a child and one offence of causing a child aged 13 to 15 to watch or look at an image of sexual activity. 

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Despite answering no comment in her police interview, Brookes, of Whitehill Road, Brinsworth, Rotherham, owned up to her wrongdoing when she entered guilty pleas to all three charges at an earlier hearing. 

Defending, Rebecca Randall said Brookes has shown ‘genuine remorse’ for her offending, through her guilty pleas, ‘glowing’ letters of recommendation, and her letter to the court. 

She acknowledged, however, that the extent of Brookes’ remorse may not be reflected within her pre-sentence report. 

Ms Randall said that while Brookes - who previously held a clean criminal record - does not seek to ‘excuse’ or justify her behaviour, she was enduring a period of ‘extreme stress’ at the time she committed the offences. 

“This behaviour was entirely out of character,” said Ms Randall. 

She told the court that Brookes had been ‘utterly terrified’ throughout the ‘traumatic’ court proceedings, but had arrived at court with a bag to take to custody, fully aware of the ‘exceptionally serious situation’ she found herself in. 

“She’s consumed by shame,” said Ms Randall, adding that Brookes’ mental health had deteriorated to the extent that she felt it necessary to contact the mental health crisis team in April 2024. 

Ms Randall added: “She struggles herself to understand why this ever happened, and in fact, she wants help to work out why…to understand her behaviour.” 

Both Brookes and members of her family sat in the public gallery sobbed, as Judge Dixon sent her to begin a 30-month prison sentence. 

He also made her the subject of a 15-year sexual harm prevention order, which will restrict her use of the internet and prohibit her from living under the same roof as a boy under the age of 18, unless she receives permission from the relevant local authority.