The first woman in Sussex to be prosecuted for downloading child porn has walked free from court.

Five "horrifically graphic" pictures of children being abused were found on Susan Robb's computer when police raided her home.

However, a judge accepted that in a "unique and exceptional" case she was trying to help herself get over abuse she suffered as a child.

Robb, of Chichester Drive East, Saltdean, was told anyone else who admitted downloading child porn would have been jailed immediately.

Judge David Rennie conditionally discharged the 48-year-old nursing assistant for three years but ordered her to sign the sex offenders' register for five years.

He described the images as "horrifically graphic" and told Robb: "You have had serious personal problems in your early life, as a result of which you have struggled to slay certain demons."

He was told that, on the advice of lawyers, Robb had denied five counts of making indecent images of children under 16 by downloading them from the internet.

After receiving further legal advice, she changed her plea to guilty at Hove Crown Court yesterday.

John Price, prosecuting, said police used powers under the Child Protection Act to raid Robb's home on April 24 last year and computer equipment was seized.

Paul Brooks, defending, said Robb was a woman of previous good character and asked for the unique circumstances to be taken into consideration.

As she left court, Robb said: "The judge accepted I did not have the images for reasons of perverted sexual gratification.

"I was trying to work through personal issues which I have received a lot of expert help to deal with."

Detective Constable Mike Parkinson, who led the investigation, said Sussex Police were tipped off about Robb by colleagues from Greater Manchester Police who had facilities to monitor internet chat rooms.

Mr Parkinson said: "This is the first time Sussex Police have prosecuted a woman for downloading indecent images of children. Because of that and the circumstances of this case, it is unique."

Robb was ordered to pay prosecution costs of £830.