INS NEWS AGENCY LTD Sex offender Mary-Ellen Mooney

FREE now SUBSCRIBE Invalid email Make the most of your money by signing up to our newsletter fornow We will use your email address only for sending you newsletters. Please see our Privacy Notice for details of your data protection rights.

Mary-Ellen Mooney rubbed the boy's thigh and kissed him before putting his hand down her knickers while babysitting him, a court heard. Mooney committed the sex acts on three separate occasions during an evening looking after the boy who was in the house with his friend who had been playing computer games. Two days later, Mooney sent the boy Facebook messages where she referred to him as a "babe" saying that she had "a real soft spot" for him and believed the boy had "a hidden talent." The shocking abuse came to light when a member of the boy’s family complained to police. Mooney was arrested and charged with two offences, which she initially denied before finally admitting her guilt on what was meant to be the morning of her trial. Her victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had already come to court ready to give evidence against his babysitter at the trial, which was scheduled to take place last month. Mooney, now aged 19, looked on from the court dock and showed no emotion as she was handed a suspended jail sentence. The offences were committed at the boy's home over the weekend of January 10 and 11 when Mooney was aged 18.

INS News Agency Ltd Mary-Ellen Mooney

Graham Smith, prosecuting, said Mooney found her victim and his friend in his bedroom playing computer games when she arrived to babysit. Noticing they were both wearing onesies, she suggested having a onesie party and went back home to change into hers. When she returned, she suggested watching a film downstairs. Mooney's victim agreed to come and watch with her, but the friend stayed upstairs in the bedroom playing video games. Mr Smith told the court: "She started touching him on his upper thigh. “He asked her to stop, which she did, before pretending she had been winding him up. “He started to become sexually excited, got up and went upstairs to the bedroom. “As she followed, she said she was winding him up and they went back downstairs. "She put on the music channel and started dancing. “She then sat on top of him, straddling him face to face and kissed him on the lips.

AFP A boy plays a computer game

“He described it as open and closed mouth, but with no tongues. He didn't feel like he wanted to kiss her back. "She got up and went to get a drink. The complainant went upstairs and told his friend what had happened and said it was disgusting." Mr Smith said the boy went back downstairs and found Mooney had by now changed into pyjamas, He said: "She sat in front of him with her back to him. She pulled his right arm around her body, as if to hug her. "She took his right hand and placed it inside her pyjamas and onto her vagina area. “She took her hand out, leaving his there, before placing her hand over his through the clothing and started to move his hand back and forth."

INS NEWS AGENCY LTD Mary-Ellen Mooney has been put on the Sex Offenders' Register for ten years

Mr Smith said the boy's hand did not penetrate Mooney's vagina. Two days later, he said, Mooney sent a number of sexually explicit messages to the boy through Facebook. The court was told the messages read: "We should meet up, just me and you. Keep it hush hush - don't tell [the friend]. "You are fairly mature for your age and you're not bad looking. “I have got a really soft spot for you, babe. “I think you have a hidden talent. I think you could handle me. "You are going to take control of me and show your dominant side. "It isn't about size, it's the way you use it. There's no point having a big d*** if you don't know how to use it.” During the exchange she also said she “could get into trouble” if anyone else read the messages. Mooney was arrested nearly a week later after the boy's family complained to the police. During the interview she claimed the boy said he wanted to smoke cannabis, before saying he had instigated the sexual activity, Mr Smith told the court. Sophie Murray, defending, said: "She has had to cope throughout her young life with her personal circumstances of very poor parenting. “There was an absent father and her mother an alcoholic.

INS NEWS AGENCY LTD Mary-Ellen Mooney was babysitting when she struck

“She was the carer within the family for her mother, whose alcoholism at times was very bad. “She subsequently died when she was 13. "She hasn't, despite that very dysfunctional upbringing, until now committed any other crimes. “She has had jobs and hasn't sought reliance on the state for income." She said Mooney had held jobs at a branch of Starbucks and at a telemarketing company but had lost both of them since her offending came to light. Miss Murray said: "She has a capacity to work and look after herself and to prove that she can be a contributing member of society. "She has accepted her guilt. She is deeply shameful and guilt-ridden about what has happened." She said Mooney should have any jail sentence suspended so that she would benefit from one-to-one courses aimed at teaching defendants appropriate sexual behaviour - something Miss Murray said is not made available to serving prisoners. Miss Murray added the probation service had raised concerns over her mental health, with experts saying she had difficulty recognising boundaries on sexual matters.

CROWN Amersham Crown Court