Woman posed as boy to seduce girls

STAINES, England, Jan. 17 (UPI) -- A 19-year-old British woman accused of inventing three male alter-egos to have sexual relationships with teenage girls pleaded guilty to sexual assault.

Gemma Barker of Staines, England, pleaded guilty Tuesday to two counts of sexual assault and one count of fraud, the (London) Evening Standard reported Tuesday.

Barker invented three male identities, Aaron Lampard, Connor McCormack and Luke Jones, and even created Facebook profiles under the names to help her enter into sexual relationships with two girls, ages 15 and 16, The Sun reported Tuesday.

Prosecutors said the girls and their families were familiar with Barker, but no one recognized her through her disguises.

"If either of them had known of the deceit, that the boy they were having a relationship with was Miss Barker, they would not have consented to the acts," prosecutor Ruby Selva said.

Barker's defense attorney, Chetna Patel, said her client suffers from an autistic spectrum disorder. She said Barker's ruse started when she was "desperate to please her friend" and "decided to become the boy the girl wanted."

Barker is scheduled to be sentenced March 2.