Staines woman dressed as boy jailed for sex assaults Published duration 5 March 2012

A "deceptive and deceitful" woman who disguised herself as a boy to date female Facebook friends has been jailed for two-and-a-half years.

Gemma Barker, 20, used false male identities to have sexual encounters with her 15 and 16-year-old victims, Guildford Crown Court heard.

Barker, from Staines, Surrey, admitted two counts of sexual assault and one charge of fraud at an earlier hearing.

She was told half the sentence would be in custody and the rest on licence.

Ordering her to serve the time in a young offenders institution, Judge Peter Moss said: "I have concluded that these offences are so serious that only a custodial sentence is appropriate."

'No remorse'

The court was told the assaults, which took place between 23 November 2009 and 10 May 2010, included kissing, cuddling and sexual touching.

One of Barker's victims realised something was wrong when she thought the boy she was having a relationship with looked similar to a boy the other victim was dating.

Probation and psychological reports found Barker had autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, commonly known as ADHD.

But the judge said she was "deceptive and deceitful" and had planned the offences.

"Nothing that you have ever said to any expert or the police sheds any light on, or provides any understanding of, your motivation for these offences," he told her.

"Nor have I nor anyone else seen any flicker of remorse for what you have done."

She received 30-months for sexual assault and three months for fraud, to run concurrently.