Woman jailed after posing as man to have sex with girls
A young woman who posed as a man to have sex with teenage girls has been jailed for abuse, police said.
Jennifer Staines, 23, set up social media profiles using the name Jason, so she could contact teenage girls.
Her victims believed they were talking to a man and conversations over social media led to them meeting up and starting a relationship. In one case the relationship lasted more than a year.
Avon and Somerset Police said Staines, of Lostock Hall, Preston, Lancashire was jailed for three years and three months by a judge at Bristol Crown Court.
She had admitted four charges of sexual assault, two charges of assault by penetration and two charges of possession of an indecent photo.
Over a five-year period three girls - two from Bristol - aged between 12 and 17 fell victim to Staines's cruel deception.
An investigation began in September 2014 after the mother of one of the victims contacted the police, as she believed Staines was a woman impersonating a man.
Detective Constable Nadine Partridge, who led the investigation, said: "Jennifer Staines deceived and manipulated her victims into believing she was a young man which is an appalling breach of trust.
"Her actions were driven by her own selfish desires and although her victims 'consented' to sexual activity with her, they were deceived about the true nature of what they were engaging in.
"The manipulation was so extreme that one of her victims still struggles to believe she was actually in a relationship with a woman, not a man.
"The victims and their families have been through a traumatic ordeal and they've found the courage to support the police investigation from the outset. I hope this outcome will help them move on with their lives.
"I believe there may be more victims out there so I'd encourage anyone who feels they may have been contacted by Jennifer Staines, posing as Jason, to come forward and speak to us.
"We're here to listen, believe and support you."
