A TRANSGENDER woman who was found in possession of indecent images depicting the abuse of toddlers has been spared an immediate prison sentence.

Registered sex offender Louise Foord, 21, who appeared at Ipswich Crown Court under her birth name Lewis Foord, was found by police to have breached notification requirements last year.

The court was told Foord had been using two Instagram accounts under aliases, despite not registering the names with the police.

She also failed to register a bank card with officers.

When Foord, of Cygnet Hospital, Boxted Road, Mile End, Colchester, was arrested for failing to comply with the requirements, she answered no comment in interview.

Foord’s iPhone was seized and searched, while an iPad was seized following a search of her bedroom.

  • For news updates straight to your inbox, sign up to our court and crime newsletter here.

The investigation revealed indecent images on both devices.

On the iPad, 39 images of children at the most serious Category A were found, 39 at Category B and 19 at Category C.

Also found on the device were 22 moving images and videos at Category A, eight at Category B and three at Category C.

On the iPhone, 49 images at Category A were found, 43 at Category B and 28 at Category C.

The court was told some of the most serious images had “hallmarks of sadism” and involved the abuse of toddlers.

  • Keep up to date with all the latest crime and court news with our dedicated Facebook page.

Foord admitted ten counts of making indecent images of children and two counts of breaching notification requirements.

Sentencing Foord, Judge Martyn Levett said she had asked to be identified by the pronouns she and her and to be called Louise.

Judge Levett said: “You’ve got several previous convictions for what I count up to be effectively 19 offences, most of which were for violence on an adult who was either supervising you or in a position of authority.”

The court was told Foord was jailed in June 2019 after sexually assaulting and falsely imprisoning a woman.

She was given a 22 month prison sentence suspended for two years and an 80 day rehabilitation activity requirement.

She was also ordered to live where directed by her probation officer and made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order for 20 years.