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A woman who used a sex toy in front of a girl and molested a second child was today spared jail.

Julie Grierson, 46, sexually abused two girls, leaving one suffering from depression.

But she received a suspended sentence after a court heard she has Asperger’s Syndrome and “severe difficulties”.

Grierson, of Fincham Road, Huyton, admitted sexual assault, sexual activity with a child and engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child.

Liverpool Crown Court heard she put Vaseline on the first girl’s private parts, which made her victim feel “uncomfortable and embarrassed”.

On another occasion she got “tipsy” and kissed the girl on the lips, continuing to do so until other people asked her to stop.

David Watson, prosecuting, said: “She admitted she had become aroused by the activity. She accepted she knew the incident was wrong.”

The court heard she exposed her breasts while using a webcam on an internet dating site and used a sex toy in front of the second child.

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Grierson’s crimes came to light in 2015, when a report was made to police and she was interviewed by officers.

She admitted two of the allegations, but was set to stand trial after denying sexual assault plus two counts of indecent assault.

On the day of the trial she pleaded guilty to the sexual assault. The two indecent assault allegations were ordered to lie on the file.

Tony O’Donohoe, defending, said his client, who has no previous convictions, accepted what she did was “extremely wrong”.

He said: “She couldn’t complain if she was to lose her liberty immediately.

“This woman has significant difficulties in her functioning and her intellectual ability and has been diagnosed with Asperger’s and depression.”

Mr O’Donohoe asked the court to bear in mind the impact of prison on his client, a psychiatric report’s findings and the recommendation of a pre-sentence report.

He invited the judge to depart from sentencing guidelines on the basis of Grierson’s “severe difficulties” and to spare her jail.

Judge Rachel Smith said the first girl revealed she suffered from anxiety and did not like interacting with people.

She said the victim was being treated for depression and was scared of getting pregnant as a result of her ordeal.

Judge Smith said she could have handed Grierson a maximum of seven years behind bars for the sexual assault.

However, she said: “This defendant has a number of profound defects in her psychological functioning, which are combined with various personality facets and depression.”

Judge Smith said a doctor found Grierson was a “significantly vulnerable individual” and she had been urged to find a better outcome for her and the public than prison.

She handed her two years in jail, suspended for two years, plus 18 months of supervision, which she said “meets the interests of the defendant and the public”.

Judge Smith told Grierson to sign on the sex offenders register for 10 years.