A WOMAN jailed for having sex with a 15-year-old boy walked free from prison yesterday after her sentence was reduced on appeal.

Judges released mother-ofone Alexandra Brown, 24, so she could be reunited with her young son.

She was jailed for two years at Teesside Crown Court in December after she admitted three specimen counts of sexual activity with a child.

Three judges at London’s Court of Appeal said Brown, of The Gateway, Darlington, had been away from her son for long enough, and cut her sentence to 30 weeks.

Lord Justice Elias said the “lonely and isolated” mother believed the boy was 16 when they first had sex.

Even after the youngster, who cannot be identified, admitted his age, they continued having sex for a month.

Brown was said to have started the affair when she was at a low ebb and became so infatuated with the teenager that she finished her fiveyear relationship with her then-boyfriend.

A probation officer said Brown had shown remorse and regret and recommended a community sentence.

At the original hearing, Mr Justice McCombe disagreed and imposed the two-year sentence, despite the fact the 15- year-old was later charged with attempting to blackmail Brown.

Yesterday, her lawyers argued that the two-year sentence was excessive because of her remorse, guilty pleas and the fact she thought the boy was 16.

They said there was no evidence he had been harmed by the experience and the fact that he had been charged with blackmail suggested he was “worldly wise”.

Lord Justice Elias said: “Here is a young woman, lonely and isolated. This was not a cynical and manipulative seduction.

The sentence is too long to reflect the gravity of this offence.

“She should be released to look after her son, who has inevitably suffered as a result of her absence.”