Mother of two, 42, who had sex with a 15-year-old schoolboy in her marital bed is spared jail because judge discovered she gave birth to his baby

Helen Cartwright told police she knew he was underage when they had sex

Pair slept together in her home after flirting and kissing over several months

Fell pregnant, left her husband and they became a couple when he was 16

Judge decided it was 'appropriate to move outside sentencing guidelines. Your relationship is now, for better or for worse, a legal one.'

She was handed suspended jail term and placed on sex offenders' register



Spared jailed: Helen Cartwright, 42, had sex with a schoolboy and had his baby but was given a suspended sentence

A 42-year-old mother who had sex with a 15-year-old has been spared jail after a judge was told she had given birth to the schoolboy's baby.

Married Helen Cartwright slept with the teenager, who is 27 years her junior, after months of flirting and admitted to police she knew he was underage, Wolverhampton Crown Court heard.



Their relationship was initially 'hugging and kissing' before they had sex at her home in Dudley, West Midlands, last May.

Cartwright, who already had two children, fell pregnant and gave birth to his baby, who is now five months old.



They became a couple after he turned 16 and she left her husband.

Yesterday she was sentenced to two years in prison, suspended for two years, after she admitted sexual activity with a child under 16 at Wolverhampton Crown Court.

She was also given a two-year supervision order and placed on the Sex Offenders' Register for 10 years.

Sentencing her Judge John Warner told Cartwright: 'You are not necessarily a sophisticated person and clearly gave no thought to the consequences.

'You should not have allowed things to continue as you did.

'There is clearly a significant difference in age but if this had happened two months later no crime would have been committed.

'I have thought long and hard about it, and in this case it may be appropriate to move outside the acceptable sentencing guidelines. Your relationship is now, for better or for worse, a legal one.'

Prosecution: Wolverhampton Crown Court heard Cartwright knew the boy was underage and they had sex after months of flirting

The court heard the lad seduced Cartwright and had sex with her in her home where she lived with her husband and children.

Prosecutor Ms Sati Ruck said: 'It was the boy who instigated the sexual relationship when he slept with the defendant in her own bed.'

Cartwright was arrested after social services were contacted following a tip-off about her relationship with the boy.

When questioned by officers, Cartwright admitted knowing the lad was underage.

The court heard the pair stopped seeing each other when the police became involved but have rekindled their relationship and now have a child together.