A PAEDOPHILE who was caught with indecent images of children “wrestled” with police to stop them taking her phone.

Sophie Louise Carter, 39, was visited by police after officers received information about the potential distribution of images.

When officers arrived, Carter took out a phone but refused to give it to officers, forcing them to “wrestle” it away from her.

Two phones were seized with only one of them being accessed.

Two category A images were found - the most severe kind.

A further three Category B images were discovered as well as six which were Category C.

No evidence was found of Carter distributing these images.

Carter, of Nottingham Place, Lee-on-the-Solent, was prosecuted under the name Dominic Mark Carter.

Her sentencing hearing was told she identifies as a woman and goes by Sophie Louise.

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She later pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children in relation to the incident on April 3, 2021.

Judge Nicholas Rowland told her: “The reason that children around the world are subject to abuse and it is filmed is because people seek gratification.

“People like you get gratification from looking at those images.”

But mitigating, Ed Warren said there was a “history of abuse” in Carter’s life dating back to when she was five which has caused “some degree of trauma”.

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He added that his client has a “longstanding issue with alcohol abuse” and had been taking class A drugs at the time of the offending.

She is no longer taking drugs but the drinking is ongoing and she has been signed off work until 2024 with mental health issues.

Mr Warren said: “The root cause of the mental health issues is this case.

“She was holding down a good job as a tree surgeon.

“Miss Carter has now separated from her now ex-wife. That relationship at the time was beginning to disintegrate.”

Carter, who has five convictions for six past offences, appeared at Southampton Crown Court on Tuesday.

She was given a six-month prison sentence suspended for 18 months and must complete 60 rehabilitation activity requirement sessions and 120 hours of unpaid work. 

She must also register as a sex offender and is subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for five years.

A deprivation order was made for the two seized phones.