A 62-year-old Sussex woman has been sentenced to 38 months in prison for her part in making and distributing child pornography and illicit videos.

Jennifer Nagle expressed her shame in front of provincial court Judge Henrik Tonning but showed little reaction when he delivered the sentence.

"It is probably one of the most hateful crimes one can think of," Tonning said.

Nagle wept through much of an earlier court hearing Tuesday in which her offences were described in detail.

Along with making and distributing child pornography, she pleaded guilty to making surreptitious videos of a person in a place where there was a reasonable expectation of privacy, as well as to theft of underwear.

Nagle was arrested in September, along with her sometime boyfriend, 60-year-old Raymond Calvin Adair of Sussex.

The court earlier heard the two used a motion-activated video camera disguised as an AC charger to make surreptitious videos in bathrooms.

When seized by police in Adair's home, the device was found to contain more than 1,400 videos.

Children the victims

Facebook messages exchanged between Adair and Nagle reveal that children were the intended victims.

There is a publication ban on the names of the victims.

Adair is serving a 34-month prison sentence after pleading guilty last month to making and possessing child pornography.

Citing Nagle's pre-sentence report, Tonning described her as someone who allowed herself to be manipulated by Adair.

"She's always had an inherent need to be liked and to please others, despite what their intentions might be," said Tonning. "She has zero self-esteem as far as I can tell."

Registered sex offender

Tonning said Nagle is unlikely to reoffend and did not make the videos for personal gratification.

"I'm ashamed," said Nagle, barely audible when asked if she wished to address the court. "I regret it."

She has no previous criminal record.

The 38-month sentence includes a 10-month credit for for time spent in custody awaiting court hearings.

She will be registered as a sex offender for the remainder of her life.