A heartbroken mum who discovered her boyfriend had been sexting another woman warned her love rival: “I know what you have been up to.”

Leanne Kelly, from Ashford, had become suspicious the father of one of her children had been unfaithful as they endured a bad patch in their relationship.

The 34-year-old decided to look through his Facebook messages and, to her dismay, found intimate pictures and videos shared between him and another woman.

A court heard how the mum-of-two took screenshots and sent them to the pair after becoming infuriated about the explicit exchanges.

But the woman became so worried Kelly would share the images publicly online that she had a mental breakdown and had to be sectioned.

Kelly, of Halstow Way, was later charged with two counts of sending grossly offensive messages with the purpose of causing distress on social media.

She admitted both offences when she appeared at Folkestone Magistrates’ Court on Thursday.

District Judge Justin Barron heard the messages were sent on October 12 and October 15 last year after Kelly had looked through an iPad her boyfriend – who she was seeing on and off – had apparently gifted to her daughter.

Prosecutor Christina Rowberry said Kelly and her partner had gone through a bad spell, during which they separated. But there were still connections between them and they were still being intimate with each other, the court heard.

The prosecutor added: “The defendant was suspicious [he was seeing someone else] and she went through his private Facebook messages and saw there were messages from her partner to the other victim.

“She used her mobile phone and shared the graphic images to enhance that she knew what they had been doing and sent her own messages saying ‘I know what you have been up to’.

“Then a few days later she messaged her with the images with descriptive comments.”

The court heard Kelly’s partner was also on edge after she had sent the messages and was concerned for his safety. This resulted him in changing the times he dropped his son off at nursery, which has, according to his victim impact statement, had an effect on his son.

Ms Rowberry added: “He took steps to avoid her and it plays on his mind that she had the photos and videos of him.”

The prosecutor told the court the other woman was highly distressed that Kelly had the images of her. She was also upset that she had to show the police.

Ms Rowberry added: “It had a severe effect on her and she had to be sectioned because of her mental health and was not able to drive afterwards because her driving licence has been restricted.

“She was so worried the images would be shared [publicly].”

However, District Judge Barron also heard the images and messages had only been sent to the parties involved and there had been no other distribution of them.

The judge was also told Kelly, who had never appeared in court before, had acted out of anger when she saw the messages, as she and the man were still having intimate relations on occasions, despite not being totally together anymore.

District Judge Barron placed Kelly on a 12-month community order which will see her complete 20 rehabilitation sessions.

She was also ordered to pay £200 compensation to the other woman, as well as a victim surcharge of £114 and £85 court costs.