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| Claire Semmens (left) handed a young boy in her care to paedophile Aaron Hughes (right), who drugged the child before carrying out and filming two rape attacks |
A babysitter has been jailed for 16 years for handing a three-year-old boy to a known paedophile who drugged and raped the child as he slept.
Claire Semmens, 28, gave the little boy to Aaron Hughes, a sex offender who sedated the youngster before carrying out and filming two sex attacks.
Hughes, who had a previous conviction for child rape, was also jailed for life today as a judge hit out at the pair's 'horrendous' crimes.Cardiff Crown Court heard Semmens, who provided a babysitting service at a flat in Cardiff, was attracted to Hughes's gay lover Hamish Morgan.
She hoped that by providing children to Hughes it would clear the way for her to have a relationship with Mr Morgan.
Prosecutor Laurence Jones said: 'The rapes were carried out at separate times - but both were on the same boy and they happened in Semmens' bedroom.
'Semmens not only supplied the boy but provided a room which enabled Hughes to commit the act and film it in a relatively safe haven.
'By her own admission Semmens knew Hughes was a child sex offender who was banned from having any contact with children.
'But she was trying to satisfy Hughes's perversions for young male children... she had the opportunity to do this because she was a babysitter, regularly looking after boys aged between three and six.'
The offences only came to light when police did a routine check on Hughes' computer because they believed he had breached a court order by downloading child pornography.
The court heard horrified officers found Hughes, 32, had filmed himself raping a child twice at the home of Semmens while she was babysitting children.
Mr Jones said: 'When Hughes was interviewed by police he admitted sedating the three-year-old boy before raping him. In the video clip you can see the little boys' eyes are closed.
'Hughes told police the rapes happened on the same night but the boy is wearing a different set of pyjamas and Hughes is wearing different jewellery.
Semmens provided a babysitting service at her flat but was handing children over to child rapist Hughes
'Claire Semmens had also developed a taste for child pornography herself and images were found on her laptop computer.'
The court heard police also found computer images of the bare bottoms of two other boys babysat by Semmens.
Hughes and Semmens tried to get away when they realised the images found on their computers would send them to jail.
The pair pawned their jewellery and took a train to Gatwick Airport, fleeing in such a hurry Semmens' pet hamsters were left to die of starvation.
When they were arrested Hughes told police he suffered from a personality disorder and he was not responsible for raping the little boy.
Semmens, of Roath, Cardiff, admitted two charges of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and possessing indecent images.
She was jailed for 16 years and barred from ever working with children again and must sign the sex offenders' register for life.
The pair were jailed at Cardiff Crown Court today where a judge told them: 'It almost defies belief that any human being would do such a thing to such an innocent young child'
Hughes, also of Roath, Cardiff, admitted two charges of rape, possessing indecent images and breaching the terms of his sex offenders prevention order.
He was jailed for life and told he would not be considered for parole until he served 12 years in prison.
Judge Phillip Richards told the pair: 'These were genuinely horrendous offences which include the rape of a young child who was three years old.
'It almost defies belief that any human being would do such a thing to such an innocent young child.
'You Semmens made that child available not once but twice to your paedophile friend and permitted him to carry out his vile activities with that young child in your bedroom.
'You knew full well he was a child abuser and the level of breach of trust is probably worse than Hughes.
'Each of you are going to spend a long time in prison before you see the light of day.'
Culled from DAILY MAIL
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