UK- Woman who tricked two teenage girls into relationships by disguising herself

[dalebert]

This story is wrong and offensive on so many levels, I don't even know where to begin! First off, this is clearly a trans man. Also, if men could be charged with assault for misrepresenting themselves in some way to get laid (giving a different name, hiding a wedding ring, saying they're an investment banker or a movie director, etc.) then cops wouldn't have time for the drug war. These girls should dump him, of course, but criminal charges? Give me a break. This better not stick.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/9020184/Woman-who-tricked-two-teenage-girls-into-relationships-by-disguising-herself-as-a-boy-faces-jail.html

Gemma Barker, a "mistress of disguise" turned herself into a series of different "boys" to launch "sexual affairs" with two unsuspecting young girls, Guildford Crown Court has heard.

Gemma Barker, 19, created three separate fictional characters on the internet who went on to introduce themselves to the 16-year-old victims online as potential dates, the court heard.
Even though the girls knew Barker well they were totally taken in when she dressed up as two different teenage males and started real-life relationships with them.
The court heard how even the parents of one of the victims were duped by the defendant's guise.
The judge Peter Moss remarked that the defendant "involved a convoluted deception of everyone she met."
The bizarre affairs "involved kissing, cuddling and groping," Ruby Selva, prosecuting, told the court.

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The Telegraph



Woman who tricked two teenage girls into relationships by disguising herself as a boy faces jail


Gemma Barker, a "mistress of disguise" turned herself into a series of different "boys" to launch "sexual affairs" with two unsuspecting young girls, Guildford Crown Court has heard.


11:48AM GMT 17 Jan 2012


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/9020184/Woman-who-tricked-two-teenage-girls-into-relationships-by-disguising-herself-as-a-boy-faces-jail.html

https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,124665.0.html   Related article



Gemma Barker Photo: INS


Gemma Barker, 19, created three separate fictional characters on the internet who went on to introduce themselves to the 16-year-old victims online as potential dates, the court heard.

Even though the girls knew Barker well they were totally taken in when she dressed up as two different teenage males and started real-life relationships with them.

The court heard how even the parents of one of the victims were duped by the defendant's guise.

[Arch]

Dump the fraud charges? Maybe. I don't know the law in the U.K. But if this person was nineteen and preyed on minors, that would likely be a problem in the U.S.

[dalebert]

Dump the fraud charges? Maybe. I don't know the law in the U.K. But if this person was nineteen and preyed on minors, that would likely be a problem in the U.S.

I don't know of fraud charges. I only heard of assault charges and that took some digging. Of course it would be an issue if the girls are under the age of consent, but that doesn't appear to be the case. I doubt they would gloss over that.

[Arch]

I have read that the age of consent in the UK is sixteen, and I believe that the articles states the girls' ages as sixteen.