An “evil” woman who tried to lure a 12-year-old boy into a sexual relationship by using her daughter’s mobile phone has been jailed for three years.

The 40-year-old from Malvern, who cannot be named to protect the identity of the youngsters, made hundreds of calls to the boy pretending she was her daughter.

She forced her daughter, then 11, to pose naked so that she could send indecent pictures to the boy, who she also showered with gifts including a £200 scooter.

The lad, who had briefly been friends with the 11-year-old, was unaware of the pretence, said Lee Marklew, prosecuting at Worcester Crown Court.

During hours of contact over 15 months, the woman continually suggested they should have sex and asked him to send a picture of his genitalia on Facebook.

Police were called in after an aunt found indecent images on the woman’s phone and the girl also made a complaint to her teacher.

The defendant admitted four counts of cruelty to a child, taking, possessing and distributing indecent images of her daughter, and inciting the boy to become involved in pornography.

Mr Marklew said the mother had tried to get the boy to send pictures of himself on Facebook. He had been embarrassed when she asked for nude photographs so he used Google to paste in make-believe genitalia.

The woman also bought condoms to encourage her daughter to have sex. She told her: “If you get pregnant, I will raise the child myself.”

When the boy’s mother was told what had been going on, she was horrified, said Mr Marklew, and was extremely angry because she had not realised sooner.

When arrested, the woman had first denied the offences. She later made admissions, saying she had been miserable and depressed. She had been fascinated creating her own world in this way.

Nicholas Roberts, defending, said his client was not dangerous but had been involved in a difficult relationship with her daughter. This had resulted in bullying, including slapping and punching.

She had tried to hang herself but had been cut down. She had also been abused by other prisoners on remand when they discovered her crime. She had no explanation for her course of conduct.

Judge Robert Juckes QC said the woman had rightly described herself as “evil” in a pretence which amounted to sexual manipulation of someone who had briefly known her daughter.

There had been a game of deception which had arisen out of her perverted desire for sexual gratification. It was a picture which painted a unique and serious kind of cruelty.

The defendant would serve half the three-year sentence less the 138 days already spent in custody. The judge also made a sexual offences prevention order forbidding her befriending or taking pictures of anyone under the age of 16.