Gemma Barker hit headlines in 2012, when she was imprisoned for faking three male identities- tricking close two female teen friends into sexual relationships in the process.
Background
Gemma Barker was born in 1990 in Staines, Surrey in the UK.
Offences
Gemma was 19-years-old when she invented three male personas, giving them different personalities, dress styles and creating Facebook profiles for them: Aaron Lampard, Connor McCormack and Luke Jones.
As Aaron, Connor and Luke, she started relationships with two of her friends, who were 15 and 16 at the time.
The relationships began online, but developed into physical and sexual relationships. Gemma played the fictional characters so well, that even the parents of one of the girls were fooled- despite knowing Gemma.
The offences took place over a seven-month period between November 23, 2009, and May 10, 2010.
Exposed
Gemma’s double life was exposed when her victims grew suspicious that her ‘boyfriends' were the same person.
One took Connor’s hat off as (he) slept, discovering it was in fact Aaron.
However the full truth was only exposed, when police consequently arrested Aaron, and removed (his) clothes in a cell, discovering it was Gemma in disguise.
Charges
Gemma stood trial at Guildford Crown Court in January 2012, pleading guilty to two specimen charges of sexual assault and one of fraud.
She was remanded on bail until March 2 for probation and psychological reports.
Judge Moss at the timesaid Barker could be described as "mad and dangerous to know”, adding:
"It's an unusual case. She is potentially very damaging to other people."
"What concerns me is that it has got a very mean and manipulative streak to it. And it's very serious. The girls she preyed on are much younger than her.”
Psychological reports
Barker's barrister, Chetna Patel, referred to probation and psychological reports which found she suffers from autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, commonly known as ADHD.
Prison
Gemma was jailed for 30 months in March 2012, with the judge branding her actions ‘cunning, deceptive and cruel’.
The victims testified in court, one revealing she felt ‘repulsive, dirty and wanted to kill herself’.
TV coverage
Gemma Barker’s fascinated the nation so much, multiple programmes were dedicated to her unusual crimes.
Channel 4 released a documentary in 2012, exploring Gemma’s back story and the alter egos she used to seduce the two teenage girls, one of whom chose to remain anonymous.
Present
Gemma has since been released and is out on licence.
Similar case
In September 2015 Gayle Newland stood trial at Chester Crown Court accused of five counts of sexual assault.
The victim was her former best friend, who alleges Gayle went under the male guise of Kye Fortune, grooming her on Facebook before starting a sexual relationship with her.
Gayle, 25, is now on trial and denies five counts of sexual assault.