A WOMAN has appeared in court charged with engaging in sexual activity with a 15-year-old boy after allegedly grooming him online.

Marie Dent, 44, is alleged to have kissed and stroked the private parts of a teenager when she met up with him after they started messaging through Facebook.

She is also alleged to to have had footage of the boy involved in a sexual act stored on her mobile phone.

Ashley Petchey, prosecuting, said Dent has initially set up a fake Facebook profile to support a family member who believed their partner had been unfaithful.

He said: “The account lay dormant for several months but then contact began to be made with a number of people including the victim in this case.

“There was messaging between the two.

“On one occasion they went to his home address and kissed and then on another occasion they were found together by the victim’s mother.

“The defendant had lied about her age.”

Dent, of Boxted Avenue, Clacton, is charged with three counts of engaging in non-penetrative sexual activity with a boy aged 13 and 15 and one count of possessing an indecent image of a child.

She did not enter a plea to any of the counts at Colchester Magistrates’ Court.

All of the alleged incidents are believed to have taken place in November and December last year.

During the hearing Dent, dressed smartly in a white shirt and black trousers, sat in the dock with her head bowed.

She only spoke to confirm her name, address and that she understood what was happening in proceedings.

Magistrates declined jurisdiction over the case.

She has now been released on unconditional bail until her next hearing at Chelmsford Crown Court on August 1.