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| Gemma Watts: Sex attacks woman posed as teenage boy | Gemma Watts: Sex attacks woman posed as teenage boy |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| A woman disguised herself as a teenage boy to sexually assault girls after grooming them online. | A woman disguised herself as a teenage boy to sexually assault girls after grooming them online. |
| Gemma Watts posed as 16-year-old "Jake Waton" on social media and swapped intimate photos with victims before meeting at locations across England. | Gemma Watts posed as 16-year-old "Jake Waton" on social media and swapped intimate photos with victims before meeting at locations across England. |
| Watts, 21, of Enfield, pleaded guilty at Winchester Crown Court to sexual offences involving four girls and was jailed for eight years. | Watts, 21, of Enfield, pleaded guilty at Winchester Crown Court to sexual offences involving four girls and was jailed for eight years. |
| Police believe she may have assaulted up to 50 victims in total. | Police believe she may have assaulted up to 50 victims in total. |
| Scotland Yard said Watts had used her own picture on Snapchat and Instagram accounts as "Jake" and targeted girls aged 13 to 16 by liking their profiles. | Scotland Yard said Watts had used her own picture on Snapchat and Instagram accounts as "Jake" and targeted girls aged 13 to 16 by liking their profiles. |
| She used teenage slang, sent flattering messages and shared intimate photographs before travelling to meet them in person. | She used teenage slang, sent flattering messages and shared intimate photographs before travelling to meet them in person. |
| Her disguise included tying her hair back in a bun and wearing a baseball cap, jogging bottoms and a hoodie. | Her disguise included tying her hair back in a bun and wearing a baseball cap, jogging bottoms and a hoodie. |
| Police said all of her victims believed they were in a relationship with a teenage boy until officers revealed Watts was actually an adult woman. | Police said all of her victims believed they were in a relationship with a teenage boy until officers revealed Watts was actually an adult woman. |
| She was so convincing she even spent time as "Jake" with some of the girls' parents. | She was so convincing she even spent time as "Jake" with some of the girls' parents. |
| The court heard two of the victims had since made several suicide attempts because of their experiences. | The court heard two of the victims had since made several suicide attempts because of their experiences. |
| 'I loved him' | 'I loved him' |
| One 14-year-old girl said her "heart exploded" when she learned the truth about Watts from the police. | One 14-year-old girl said her "heart exploded" when she learned the truth about Watts from the police. |
| In a victim statement read out in court, she said: "My world stopped, I actually stopped breathing... I loved him so much." | In a victim statement read out in court, she said: "My world stopped, I actually stopped breathing... I loved him so much." |
| The offences she has admitted relate to a 13-year-old from Plymouth, two 14-year-olds from Surrey and Hampshire and a 16-year-old from the West Midlands. | The offences she has admitted relate to a 13-year-old from Plymouth, two 14-year-olds from Surrey and Hampshire and a 16-year-old from the West Midlands. |
| Barnaby Shaw, prosecuting, said Watts repeatedly groped one of the victims during regular overnight stays over a three-month period. | |
| On one occasion, he said the girl believed she was touching Watts' genitals but was deceived by "what must have been a number of socks tightly rolled together". | On one occasion, he said the girl believed she was touching Watts' genitals but was deceived by "what must have been a number of socks tightly rolled together". |
| Passing sentence, Judge Susan Evans QC said Watts had groomed young girls for her own gratification. | Passing sentence, Judge Susan Evans QC said Watts had groomed young girls for her own gratification. |
| "Their youth, as you plainly knew, made them more naive and made you more likely to get away with your deception," she told Watts. | "Their youth, as you plainly knew, made them more naive and made you more likely to get away with your deception," she told Watts. |
| Det Con Phillipa Kenwright said the victims "all believed they were in a relationship with a male" and had been "completely taken in" by Watts. | Det Con Phillipa Kenwright said the victims "all believed they were in a relationship with a male" and had been "completely taken in" by Watts. |
| She added: "It's been life-changing for all of the victims involved." | She added: "It's been life-changing for all of the victims involved." |
| The officer said she believed Watts could have duped "20 to 50" victims in total. | The officer said she believed Watts could have duped "20 to 50" victims in total. |
| A doctor in Hampshire first raised concerns to police in March 2018 after a young patient revealed she was in a relationship with an older boy. | A doctor in Hampshire first raised concerns to police in March 2018 after a young patient revealed she was in a relationship with an older boy. |
| In July that year Watts admitted to Met officers she had been sexually active as "Jake" with the first three victims. | In July that year Watts admitted to Met officers she had been sexually active as "Jake" with the first three victims. |
| She was released under investigation and arrested again in October 2018 by British Transport Police who found her on a train with a fourth victim. | She was released under investigation and arrested again in October 2018 by British Transport Police who found her on a train with a fourth victim. |
| Officers initially thought Watts was a 16-year-old boy and were taking her home to London before they realised her true identity. | Officers initially thought Watts was a 16-year-old boy and were taking her home to London before they realised her true identity. |
| In November 2019, Watts pleaded guilty to one count of assault by penetration, three counts of meeting a child following sexual grooming and three counts of sexual assault. | In November 2019, Watts pleaded guilty to one count of assault by penetration, three counts of meeting a child following sexual grooming and three counts of sexual assault. |
| Det Ch Insp Nicholas Plummer, from Hampshire Constabulary, said: "This is a truly shocking case. It serves as a reminder to us all about the lengths a perpetrator will go to exploit children. | Det Ch Insp Nicholas Plummer, from Hampshire Constabulary, said: "This is a truly shocking case. It serves as a reminder to us all about the lengths a perpetrator will go to exploit children. |
| "Parents and carers should have the confidence to speak to their children about their online activity." | "Parents and carers should have the confidence to speak to their children about their online activity." |