A SYDNEY mother who ­texted explicit photographs of her young daughters to their dance teacher, meeting his ­demands for “more daring” images, has been jailed for at least 18 months.

The 42-year-old, whose name has been suppressed, shed tears during yesterday’s sentencing hearing in the ­Sydney District Court as Judge Peter Zahra recounted her ­description of the dance studio as “a cult”.

The court heard that ­almost 300 images and more than two dozen videos of her daughters, both aged under 14 at the time, were sent to Grant Davies, the dance school ­director who is due to stand trial himself on more than 50 child sexual abuse allegations.

The mother had pleaded guilty to four charges of ­producing and ­disseminating child abuse material.

Some of the text message exchanges between her and Davies were read aloud, ­including one in which he wants one of the daughters to “look through her legs”.

“Ask her if she feels sexy,” the message read.

...The mother “must have ­appreciated that this was wrong”.

Judge Zahra said the tone of the texts made it plain ­that Davies was receiving “sexual gratification” from the photos and that the mother “must have ­appreciated that this was wrong”.

“She was aware he was ­asking for sexually explicit material,” he said.

The court heard that ­Davies was an “aggressive” teacher and the mother felt “manipulated” into doing everything he ­demanded of her because she was “so ­fearful” of him.

The woman was once an aspiring dancer herself but ­developed anorexia as a ­teenager after being told by a teacher that she was fat.

The court was told that she believed success in dance would “propel her children into a life of fun”.

Her husband of 16 years told the court earlier this month that he and his ­family had been “suffering tremendously” without her after she was taken into ­custody in August.

“She came across a very evil person and was too weak to ­resist the temptation,” he said.

She will be eligible for ­parole in February 2016. The total sentence imposed was three years and six months.

Davies, who has yet to enter a plea to any charges against him, will appear in Burwood Local Court next month.