US mum admits to sex with Bendigo boy

Updated November 7 2012 - 12:06am, first published August 6 2008 - 12:30pm
Barbara  Case outside court yesterday.
Barbara Case outside court yesterday.

AN American woman who pleaded guilty to having sex with a 15-year-old Bendigo boy she met through the internet was a "quiet person", her husband said yesterday.Speaking exclusively to The Advertiser from his home in Virginia, Phillip Case said his wife had struggled to cope following recent surgery.Barbara Renee Case, a clerk in a grocery store, appeared in Bendigo Magistrates Court yesterday charged with two counts of sexual penetration with a child under the age of 16.Police say the 36-year-old mother of three flew to Australia from her hometown of Lyndhurst, Virginia, in the middle of May.She has pleaded guilty to engaging in sexual intercourse and oral sex between May 16 and May 27.Mr Case said his wife told him she was travelling to Australia "for a vacation"."I knew she had a friend in Australia, someone that she had met (through) the game."I thought they were friends. Someone she could talk to and (who could) help her," he said.He became aware of her charges 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 to spend time on the role-playing website she allegedly met the Bendigo boy through.He admitted the pair's three children, while "doing all right", were missing their mother.Mr Case said his wife of 11 years was struggling with incarceration."She's very, very upset. She's not dealt with prison before."She's never had any troubles like this," he said.Magistrate Susan Wakeling yesterday formally committed Barbara Case to stand trial over the charges."I am satisfied on the brief of evidence... that there is sufficient weight to support a conviction," she said.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.

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