A woman has been jailed for four years after pleading guilty to multiple offences relating to indecent images of children.
Zara Lancashire, 20, no fixed abode, Hemel Hempstead, was sentenced today (Thursday, March 5) at St Albans Crown Court for the following offences:
- Four counts of distributing indecent images of a child
- Three counts of making indecent images of a child
- Four counts of publishing an obscene article via a chat application
Officers from Hertfordshire Constabulary arrested Lancashire in September 2025 after intelligence was received to suggest she was making and distributing indecent images of children. She was later charged and remanded into custody, where she remained until today’s court hearing.
She previously pleaded guilty to all offences at a hearing on Wednesday, December 3, 2025.
At the time of her arrest, Lancashire was employed by Flower Pots Day Nursery on Hempstead Road in Kings Langley. Following this, she was suspended with immediate effect.
Detective Inspector Fay Tooley, from Hertfordshire Constabulary’s Public Protection Command, said: “Lancashire has been brought to justice for the offences she committed, and while our investigation found they didn’t involve the physical abuse of children, they are still of an extremely serious nature.”
According to the CPS, the definition of making an indecent image – or pseudo image – of a child can mean opening an attachment contained in an email, downloading an image from a website, storing an image on a computer, accessing images by way of a website ‘pop up’, receiving an image via social media, and live-streaming images.
DI Tooley continued: “I want to reassure the public and parents of children at the nursery that following a thorough investigation by our detectives, which involved speaking to more than 100 parents and guardians, no evidence was found relating to any child who attended Flower Pots Day Nursery.
“All of the offences linked to Lancashire were committed online. I want to express my appreciation for the nursery, the parents, and guardians who displayed patience and cooperation throughout what was, understandably, a very difficult period.”
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