A Sydney judge has likened the Colt family's alleged lifestyle of incest, child neglect and abuse to "a mental illness".
Betty Colt, a pseudonym, was put behind bars in November for at least nine months after being found guilty of trying to snatch her two sons from foster care.
About 40 members of the Colt clan were found living in squalor on a rural property in southwest NSW in 2012.
The children had speech difficulties, deplorable hygiene, slept in tents and later revealed being allegedly sexually abused by family members.
Genetic testing found 11 of the 12 children removed from the farm had parents that were related.
This year, Colt was found guilty of procuring her sons from state care and recruiting one son to kidnap the other from their foster home.
Colt appealed against the severity of her sentence - 12 months with a non-parole period of nine months - in a Sydney court on Thursday.
Judge Robert Toner said the behaviour appeared to be ingrained in Colt.
"It's like a mental illness," he said, adding the case was bizarre.
"I have never seen a case remotely like it," he said.
"And I've been in the trade for a while."
Defence lawyer Philip Carey said his 47-year-old client needed help to addresses her problems.
"Punishing her by locking her up without any supervision or remedial process afterwards will do nothing to address those issues," he said.
However, Mr Toner found Colt did not accept the Children's Court orders that put her offspring in the care of the state.
The judge dismissed Colt's appeal but reduced her $5000 fine to $100.
A NSW Child Abuse Squad investigation into the Colt family and the allegations of abuse and neglect is ongoing.
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