Chloe Short – Swansea

A female support worker that engaged in sexual activity with a vulnerable 15-year-old boy she was meant to be helping has avoided prison after her own girlfriend alerted her boss.

Chloe Short gave the boy a full on “sexualised kiss” and also engaged in explicit text conversations with the boy during which the pair expressed their love for each other.

A judge told the defendant her behaviour had been “very inappropriate” and that she had rejected the trust which had been placed in her by virtue of her job.

Ian Wright, prosecuting, told Swansea Crown Court that Short was working for an organisation which provided support for families and children in need of assistance, and as such was “in a position of considerable trust”

He said the defendant was assigned to support a vulnerable 15-year-old boy and carried out a series of home visits which led to “communication with him” in a “wholly inappropriate manner”.

The court heard that in the messages the defendant and the child said they loved each other, and Short told the teenager she “missed him every second” and was “obsessed with him”.

The matter came to light when Short’s girlfriend became suspicious about her behaviour and looked through her phone.

After finding messages on the device the woman alerted Short’s employers who then contacted the police.

An investigation was launched during which a short video recorded on a phone was recovered showing the defendant and the boy kissing.

The court heard that the teenager had not provided an account of what happened between him and the defendant and has “never co-operated” with the prosecution.

Chloe Short, aged 28, of Sycamore Court, had previously pleaded guilty to sexual activity with a child when she appeared in the dock for sentencing.

With a 20 per cent discount for her guilty pleas Short was sentenced to 10 months in prison suspended for 18 months, and was ordered to complete a rehabilitation course and a mental health treatment requirement.

She must also do 150 hours of unpaid work in the community.

The defendant will be a registered sex offender for the next 10 years and was made subject to a sexual harm prevention order for the same length of time.