Morally innocent US woman to face sex charge trial

An American woman who had sex with a 15-year-old Victorian boy told her husband she was going to Australia to meet an online gaming friend.

Barbara Renee Case, a clerk in a grocery store, appeared in Bendigo Magistrates Court today charged with two counts of sexual penetration with a child under the age of 16.

Police said the 36-year-old mother of three flew to Australia from her hometown of Lyndhurst, Virginia, in May to meet the Bendigo boy.

She has pleaded guilty to engaging in sexual intercourse and oral sex between May 16 and May 27.

Her husband Phillip Case said his wife of 11 years told him she was travelling to Australia "for a vacation".

Mr Case told The Bendigo Advertiser his wife was a "quiet woman" and he knew she had met someone through an internet role playing game.

"I knew she had a friend in Australia, someone that she had met (through) the game," Mr Case told the Advertiser from his home in Virginia.

"I thought they were friends. Someone she could talk to and help her."

Magistrate Susan Wakeling today formally committed Barbara Case to stand trial.

"I am satisfied on the brief of evidence ... that there is sufficient weight to support a conviction," Ms Wakeling said.

Mr Case said he became aware of the charges against his wife when FBI officers came to his home.

"(They) showed up at my door ... and told me that she had been arrested," he said.

Mr Case said he encouraged his wife, who had struggled to cope after recent surgery, to spend time on the role-playing website.

He admitted the pair's three children, while "doing all right", were missing their mother.

Mr Case said his wife was struggling with jail.

"She's very, very upset. She's not dealt with prison before," he said.

"She's never had any troubles like this."

Despite formal requests made by two media organisations, Ms Wakeling rejected an application to release information from the brief of evidence.

Defence lawyer Megan Aumair said details of the case were still being argued, admitting the parties had not yet agreed on a summary.

Case has been remanded to appear via videolink in the Melbourne County Court for a directions hearing on August 18.

LNK

Morally innocent US woman to face sex charge trial

Morally innocent US woman to face sex charge trial

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