It doesn't really matter if the elder youth/person was 18 or 45 if the other was under the age of consent.
There are plenty of girls out there that have been ‘hooking’ for several years before they turn 16. That doesn't matter to the law.
The gays are seizing on this case, to advance their calls for lowering the age of consent.
If they had their way, they would do away with the age of consent completely.